Past and Future
by Holy Spork
Summary: Lloyd and Colette go to Flanoir to take a rest from their journey. There they meet Yuan, who claims to be trying to solve a problem. However, Lloyd quickly discovers that the 'problem' wears purple and has red hair...
1. A Slight Problem

Whilst I struggle with writer's block for my other stories, what do I do? Start another one. Dang it.

I've been tossing this idea around for a while, but only _just_ got the courage to post it. I'm not sure how well received it will be.

Oh, and beware of spoilers. THEY CAN MELT YOUR BRAIN LIKE FREAKIN' ACID!

Disclaimer: If I owned Tales of Symphonia, Yuan would have been a playable character. Seriously, imagine having a guy in the party who can use a giant sword like that.

* * *

_Past and Future_

Chapter I: A Slight Problem

"… So you punched a hole in the space/time continuum… and something _came out_ of the hole?"

The unfortunate Renegade lieutenant quivered under Yuan's angry glare. "Y-Yessir," murmured the frightened Renegade.

Yuan sighed. Okay, so _technically_ he shouldn't have let the Renegades develop technology that could potentially cause the universe to implode… but some of that stuff was just too damn useful. Besides, it wasn't like he was planning to mass-produce or distribute any of the really dangerous or delicate things. Especially since there were people like Lloyd in the world who would push the button clearly labeled 'Don't Push' because they wanted to see what would happen next.

"Um…sir," stated the lieutenant cautiously, "The thing that came out of the hole…"

"Yes?"

"It's…escaped the facility."

Yuan's glare had enough solid venom in it to kill small mammals, **"What?"**

The lieutenant, who wished he were a small mammal, backed away a step. "S-sorry sir!" he stuttered, "We hadn't expected him to fight like that, or know how to use a Rheaird – "

"Him?" asked Yuan, "It was a person?" The lieutenant nodded. "Who?"

The lieutenant told him.

Yuan buried his face in his hands. He had been so _sure_ a minute ago that things couldn't get any worse…

* * *

The Renegade base escapee hastily scrabbled out of the snow bank with some difficulty. He looked down at the stolen Rheaird he had just crashed into the snow. He hadn't meant to crash the damn thing, just land. There was a thin trail of smoke curling out from the nose of the vehicle, which had crumpled on impact. He looked around. He was standing in the middle of a snow-covered field, with giant gray mountains on the horizon. And in the distance he could see what looked like, and he hoped was, a city. As snow fell softly around him, he wished that he had more than his purple windbreaker to keep him from freezing to death. He looked back at the broken Rheaird. 

One of the wings fell off.

"…Dammit, this can't end well…"

* * *

_A little while later_... 

"Wow! It's snowing!"

"Colette, it _always_ snows in Flanoir."

"That's right… I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize you dork!"

Colette giggled, her cheeks flushing with an embarrassed blush. Lloyd gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they walked the white streets of the snowy city together. They were taking a much needed break from their journey to gather and destroy all the Exspheres in the world. Finally they could just take a few days, or maybe even a week, to just sit back and relax…

"Hey, Lloyd," said Colette, tugging on the boy's arm and pointing, "Isn't that Yuan over there?"

It was, in fact, said blue-haired half-elf who was yelling at one of his Renegades in the middle of the central square of Flanoir. Even the clanging of the nearby clock tower bell didn't drown out his yells.

"No, you _can't_ kill him!" Yuan snarled at his unfortunate employees, who were cowering from their boss, "The Timeline is a very delicate thing! And it's called 'street fighting' for a reason! Don't expecting him to just give up and walk into a cell! So go out there AND GET HIM! HOW HARD CAN IT BE? And don't you _**DARE**_ hurt him! AM I CLEAR?"

There were shy mutterings of 'yessir' as the Renegades dispersed, leaving Yuan fuming, surrounded by a ring of curious onlookers. The force and heat of Yuan's rage was almost strong enough to melt the snow he was standing in. The crowd immediately started whispering among itself.

"Who's he, you think?"

"Who do you think they're after?"

"I bet there were people in Meltokio who heard him yelling."

"Should we be worried about this?"

"Do you think he dyes his hair?"

Yuan glowered at the ring of people around him. They all fell silent when they noticed Yuan giving them his 'I'm-three-seconds-away-from-killing-you-all' glare. "Don't you all have someplace to go?" snapped Yuan. The crowd dispersed as if by magic, as each member decided that it was best to not tempt fate… or anger men with blue hair.

Unfortunately, two people did not get the memo.

"Hi Yuan!" chirped Colette, walking over to the half-elf, "Did you lose something?"

Yuan paled a little as he turned to face Colette. Oh no, if she was here, then that meant –

"What was all the shouting about?" asked Lloyd as he trotted up to Yuan and Colette.

Yuan resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands again. He had been so _sure_ a minute ago that things couldn't get any worse…

"It's nothing you should concern yourselves with," said the Renegade leader dismissively, "It would be best if you left the city now and returned at some other time."

The two teens frowned at him. They had not seen Yuan for four months, since the worlds had been reunited. They were slightly disappointed that they were being brushed off like this.

"What's wrong?" asked Lloyd.

"It's nothing you should concern yourselves with," repeated Yuan. When Lloyd and Colette, continued staring at him, he sighed. They weren't going to leave without an explanation of some kind. Oh well, he could keep things as vague as he wanted, just as long as they didn't get involved. "There was a… slight problem with some… machinery at the base," started Yuan, picking his words carefully, "We're attempting to remedy that now. And it would be best for you two to get off the fjord entirely, and go somewhere else. Altamira would be good. Just not here."

"Why?" asked Lloyd, looking puzzled, "We fought all the Summon Spirits, reunited the worlds, and beat Mithos! There can't be anything we can't take!"

"It's not a matter of being able to 'take' something or not," said Yuan through gritted teeth, "This is a very delicate matter, and I don't need you two in the middle of it."

It was, at this time, that the Renegade base escapee appeared, running down the street that Lloyd and Colette had taken down to the square. He skidded to a halt as he spotted Yuan. The escapee was momentarily confused by what he saw. Yuan looked up and noticed the stunned escapee, who couldn't seem to decide if he should run again or not.

Lloyd turned when he saw Yuan look at something behind him, just in time to see the escapee running down another snowy side street. The only thing he saw of the runner was some purple clothing and a mop of messy red hair…

Yuan swore, "You two stay here," he snapped as he ran off after the escapee, "Understood?"

"Wait a minute!" shouted Lloyd, running after the half-elf, "I'm coming too!"

Yuan didn't even try to discourage him. He was too busy chasing the runner, it was too important that he catch the escapee… he couldn't just let him get away… too many things could go wrong…

Then they came to an intersection, and Yuan didn't see which street his prey had gone down. He swore, again. "What's wrong Yuan?" asked Lloyd, who hadn't been able to see the escapee past Yuan anyway.

Yuan turned to the young swordsman, "Just. Leave. The. City. _Now_." He growled, before running down the road to his right.

Lloyd stood in the middle of the intersection, staring off after the Renegade leader. Why was he so intent on keeping Lloyd out of this… issue, whatever it was? There must be a way for him to help out!

Unbeknownst to Lloyd, the escapee had run down the left road at the intersection, and had watched Yuan run the other way from behind a cart displaying fruits and vegetables. He watched Lloyd standing in the middle of the intersection, looking confused. _It shouldn't be too hard to sneak past him,_ thought the escapee, _He doesn't look all that bright anyway._

He walked around the cart again, keeping his head down, trying to look inconspicuous. Unfortunately for him, Lloyd had decided to look around just when the runaway was almost out of sight. Lloyd spotted him running down the street Lloyd had just come. "WAIT!" yelled Lloyd without thinking, and ran after the mysterious escapee.

Lloyd followed the runner down another set of streets, until they came to a dead end. The escapee stopped at the stone wall looming in front of him, as Lloyd caught up, panting and drawing his swords.

"I've got… you now…" panted Lloyd. Man this guy could run! Lloyd hadn't thought he would be able to catch the fugitive, "Just stay here… and Yuan will… come and… sort things out…"

The escapee turned, and Lloyd saw his face.

It was Kratos.

But something was different. He looked younger, about seventeen, rather than twenty-eight. His red eyes were full of an emotion that Lloyd never associated with his father – fear. Lloyd's brain froze. He didn't understand what was going on! Why did Kratos look eleven years younger… and what was he scared of? Lloyd's swords slipped from his fingers, to land with a soft crunch in the fresh snow. Lloyd stared at Kratos, their rapid breaths freezing in the cold air.

"It's… is it really…? Da – "

Kratos launched himself at Lloyd, striking Lloyd with the stomach with his elbow. Before the red-clad teen could even realize that he had been struck, Kratos' other arm came around and punched him in the face.

The cracking was clearly audible.

Lloyd fell heavily into the snow, completely winded and clutching at his bleeding nose. "Mah nobe!" whined Lloyd, "You brode mah nobe! Whud did you do thab for?"

Kratos stood over Lloyd, hands in his jacket pockets, giving the swordsman a look that was a mixture of pity and disgust.

"Dumbass."

Kratos ran off again, leaving Lloyd to bleed and struggle with his confusion in the snow. The teen couldn't even muster the energy to sit up. Had Kratos – stoic stony Kratos – just call him a dumbass?

Several minutes later, Yuan found Lloyd, who was still lying in the snow. He smirked when he saw Lloyd clutching his broken nose.

"I take it you've encountered our 'problem' then?"

* * *

**A/N: **That was more fun than it should have been, picking on Lloyd, breaking his nose and having a teenage Kratos call him a dumbass. I feel kinda bad about it now. 

While this will probably sound mean... but I'll laugh at anyone who hasn't figured out what's going on yet.

I'm not sure I'm going to continue this, it depends on the reviews I get, if any. Constructive criticism is welcome.

Please, _please,** PLEASE **_review!

**Edited on 1/1/08** - Cleaned up some mistakes, (hopefully) clarified a few things, and removed some italics.

* * *


	2. Stuck In A Tree

Holy Martel! The first chapter got _eight_ reviews, and even four favs! I'm trying _really_ hard not to die of a heart attack before I finish this. (And finish it I will!) Thank you all so much for the reviews and the favs!

Maybe I shouldn't have broken Lloyd's nose, it's really hard to write dialogue for a character that can't speak properly...

Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia is, blah blah, solely the property of, blah blah, Namco-Bandai, blah blah, because I've failed to take over the world.

* * *

Chapter II: Stuck In A Tree 

"Yuan, whab habbened?"

"Lloyd, just stay here and be a good boy,"

"No! Dell me whab's going on!"

"Your nose is already broken, and it'll take time to heal. So will you, for once, _listen _to your elders?"

"Dell me whab you've done do my Dad!"

Yuan sighed, "I haven't _done_ anything to your father."

"Then why is he all… differend?" asked Lloyd.

Yuan had dragged Lloyd to the Flanoir doctor, and after waiting in the snow for what felt like hours, Lloyd had finally gotten a kind of splint for his nose. This did not however, improve his speech, temper, or confusion. Yuan had wanted to leave, but Lloyd continued to nag him for an explanation.

Lloyd had tried to sound threatening while he 'interrogated' Yuan, but his broken nose spectacularly spoiled the effect. "Dad was acding weird. I mean, why'd he bunch me in the face?"

_Because you were probably annoying him,_ thought Yuan angrily, but he said aloud, "I understand that you're concerned about Kratos's well-being. However, I did tell you and Colette to leave the city, and you didn't. Look what happened as a result of that. So why don't you just go home and do something else?"

"Why can'b I helb?" asked Lloyd defiantly, crossing his arms.

"I'll give you three guesses," said Yuan sarcastically. Lloyd looked confused, clearly not noticing the sarcasm. Yuan sighed, "Let's face it, I don't know from which side of the family you got your 'smarts' from, but your lack of subtlety and intelligence could make the situation worse. This isn't a time for brute strength. So just… go home or something." Yuan turned and walked away, leaving an angry and _very _offended Lloyd behind.

"Lloyd! Is everything okay?" The swordsman turned to see Colette trotting up to him, looking worried. "I heard that you'd been taken to the doctor! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Lloyd, contradicting the evidence otherwise that was in the middle of his face, "Why don'b we go do Iselia? The Probessor and Genis are there now I thinb. Wanna go see them?"

Colette nodded. "Sure!" she said with her perpetually happy smile.

_Maybe while we're there I can ask Professor Raine to heal my nose_, thought Lloyd.

* * *

Kratos was scared, more so then he would ever admit to anyone. He didn't know where he was, or how he got here. There had been this weird flash of light and then he had found himself… where? In what looked like a military base. He had escaped that place to find himself in the middle of a snowy nowhere. He had been outside the city where he lived only once before in his life, and now he found himself somewhere he was completely unfamiliar with. It was only now that he wished that he knew a little more geography, then he might at least have some clue as to where he was, and maybe what to do next. 

Right now his only plan consisted of stealing another Rheaird and trying to find his home again. He had found the Rheairds his mysterious pursuers had used to get onto the fjord lined up in rows outside Flanoir. But there were guards around, about six. They didn't seem to be expecting anyone to attack, but he didn't think he would be able to steal a Rheaird and go unnoticed by that many guards.

He had climbed up to the roof of a short house by the city wall to look out at the snowy fields and the Renegade's parked Rheairds. He was lying on the snow-covered shingles, trying to figure out how to get past the guards. They weren't exactly the most efficient guards. They were lounging in the center of the Rheaird pack, probably chatting, deciding that no one would be stupid enough to try to sneak up on them when there was no cover, no place to hide. The falling snow reduced visibility a little, but only a little…

_This sucks,_ decided Kratos, _Unless a bomb goes off and they _all_ go to investigate_…_ there's no way I'm going to get close enough to steal one of those Rheairds._

There was a faint scratching noise behind him, as he heard someone climb up onto the roof with him. He tensed, reaching for the knife he had concealed under his jacket. The kid in red that had cornered him before had been easy enough to take care of, but that didn't mean everyone else would be. He heard footsteps approaching him. He rolled onto his back and leaped to his feet, to be met with, not a potential attacker, but something big, furry, and _green_.

It whined and licked his face.

"Ugh!" Kratos moaned in disgust, dropping his knife in surprise and trying to wipe the sticky slobber off his face with a sleeve. "What the – ?"

He looked up at the furry thing. It looked like a big green dog, just sitting on the roof, looking up at him like an old friend. Kratos wasn't sure how to respond to the animal's behavior. His past experience with dogs was limited to the guard dogs that would have gladly torn out and nibbled on his intestines has he not gotten away in time. Admittedly, those were the times he was somewhere he technically shouldn't have been, but that wasn't the point.

The green dog, who was none other than Noishe, cocked his head and stared at Kratos with mild confusion. The protozoan had been overjoyed when he had caught the scent of his old friend, and had followed it to this rooftop. Noishe trusted his nose. This was definitely Kratos, but something was different. Perhaps it was that his old friend looked younger than when he had left for Derris-Kharlan. Maybe it was the purple jacket or the baggy jeans. Or possibly it was the less than welcoming reception.

But the nose never lied.

Kratos stared down at the dog, which was wagging its tail in a friendly manner. "Um… shoo." Said Kratos half-heartedly, unsure of how to treat a dog that didn't want to eat his internal organs.

Noishe shook his head. Kratos stared, "Did you just… shake your head?" Noishe nodded in a 'no duh' manner, with a little canine frown. "So… you can understand me?" Noishe nodded, wondering why Kratos was asking such dim questions when they had known each other for thousands of years.

Kratos looked behind him at the little congregation of guards lounging by the Rheairds. A plan formed in his head. "Hey, do you want a nice juicy bone?" asked Kratos, trying to think of things dogs liked to eat… other than intruders. Noishe looked slightly offended at this question, which he found demeaning. "Um…" the teen hesitated, "How about a bag of dog treats?" Noishe looked even more annoyed, before the auburn-haired boy finally said, a little desperately, "How about a steak?"

Noishe's eyes lit up and Kratos knew he had captured the green animal's attention, "Yeah, you want a _giant_ steak, don't you?" he said, and continued talking as Noishe started to salivate, "Rare and bloody, and big enough to feed you for two weeks!" Noishe was drooling rivers by now, and bouncing up and down excitedly. "Well, I'll get you a _huge_ steak, if you do me a favor." Noishe's ears stuck up almost vertically from his head, his attention fixed on the boy who had just promised him a _large_ slice of juicy heaven.

Kratos grinned, he was as good as off the island, "Okay, what I need you to do, is go down there, where those guys are, and try to lead them away from the Rheairds for a couple minutes. If you do that, I'll get you a big steak afterwards. Deal?"

Noishe didn't even nod. He flew off of the roof and landed gracefully in the snow outside the city walls. Kratos lay back down on the roof after picking up his knife again to watch the fun, hoping a Renegade wouldn't spot him during the confusion.

Noishe bolted over to the Renegades, who looked down at the protozoan with mild curiosity.

Renegade number one said, "Hey, where'd you think he came from?"

Number two shrugged, "Dunno Joe." He snickered, "They, that rhymed!"

Joe frowned. Noishe rolled his eyes, he had an animal's body and _he_ could think of better jokes. He noticed then an untouched six-pack of beer lying at the Renegade's feet – probably to 'ward off the cold' when they deemed that they had been here too long. Bingo.

Noishe picked up the heavy pack of alcohol in his mouth and trotted off, tail wagging. "H-hey!" said the Renegade identified as Joe, "The mutt has our beer!" The other guards cried out in despair or anger, and ran off after the protozoan, who had no trouble keeping out of their reach.

Kratos snickered as he carefully climbed down from the roof to land in the soft snow outside the city. To think that those guys were so easily distracted! He wasn't all that surprised, as he had been able to escape the Renegade base because they left the keys in the Rheaird's ignition. It still made him feel good to watch grown men trying to chase down a green dog that had stolen their precious beer. Losers.

He came to one of the Rheairds near the edge of the pack and sure enough, he found that the keys, while _not_ in the ignition, were hanging from the handlebars. _This is way too easy,_ thought the boy as he started up the vehicle's engine.

Noishe looked up when he heard the noise, and stared back at the Rheaird pack to see one white and red vehicle detach from the rest and fly away from Flanoir with amazing speed. The six-pack fell from the animal's open mouth. Kratos has _tricked_ him! His old and trusted friend for four thousand years had _tricked_ him! He ran away from the fallen beer, which the wheezing and exhausted guards immediately descended upon, to go and stare off at the retreating promise of steak.

Noishe growled deep in his chest. If Kratos did _not_ come back soon with a steak rare enough that he could _drown_ in it, there would be _pain_ like he had _never_ been through.

* * *

Kratos felt a little guilty about manipulating that green dog, but hey, you win some you lose some. It wasn't as if he would ever see that animal again. 

He looked down at the landscape that was spread out below him as he flew. He tried to recall the map of the world he had seen once. _Let's see_… he saw a continent below him… that looked familiar. Kratos tilted his head to look at the landmass at a different angle. Then he looked at the horizon. _That must be north_… he reasoned, still looking around, _And home should be west of here_… He tried not to think of how long it would take to get there. The Rheaird he had taken he knew could travel very fast, but it would still take several hours to arrive at his destination.

He'd just have to wait. Which quickly got boring._  
_

* * *

_This is why I shouldn't have nice things, _Kratos decided, as the teen surveyed yet _another_ Rheaird he had wrecked. Well, nearly wrecked. He had scraped the bottom almost completely off trying to land in a forest clearing. Sure, the Rheaird made an alarming clunking sound when he tried to start up the vehicle again, and a part of the engine block had been crushed, but at least it was repairable. At least he thought so. 

Kratos looked around the area he thought he had known so well. Since when was there a damn forest here anyway? From the sky it looked like the right place, other than the absence of a city and the presence of more trees than the teen had ever seen before in his life. After flying over almost uniform blobs of green and blue for hours, he had flown over a desert that he recognized, and then went north. He found a piece of land that suck out into the ocean, at the end of which his home should have been. But all he had been able to see from the air was what looked like a tiny little town and a metal fortress he had never seen before. Oh, and the damn _trees_.

He looked away from the smoking vehicle at the fortress he had landed nearby. He had stopped here because this was one of a few places that were devoid of trees. He decided that he didn't like the place, even though it looked abandoned. Its iron gate was open, and a great steel fence ran around the perimeter, like a giant cage. Kratos shuddered. There was something about this place he didn't like.

He turned away from the structure to look around the area and try to come up with another plan. The only thing he could think of was to explore the forest and try to find out what was going on. He had been so _sure_ from the air that this was where home should be, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe he should go to that little town and try to get a map or some directions.

So he wandered off into the trees, following the dirt path that he assumed would take him to the town he had flown over. He hadn't gone far before he realized that someone, or something, was watching him. He looked around and saw no one. He heard a soft growling at his right. When he turned he saw two little golden eyes staring out at him from the bushes. The first pair was joined by a second. Then the eyes emerged to reveal their owners: two large gray wolves. Kratos slowly drew his knife, not taking his eyes off of the animals.

_Okay,_ he thought, slowly backing away as the beasts advanced on him, _They're just animals. Stupid gods damned animals. I can probably handle two of them._ Out of the corner of his eye he saw two more wolves coming down the path to join the first two. Then another pair appeared on his other side. Then he heard yet _another_ pair emerge from the bushes behind him. Eight wolves.

Damn.

Propelled by fear and an ancient instinct, Kratos hastily scrabbled up a nearby tree and clung to the highest branch that would support his weight, which wasn't very high up. He wrapped his arms and legs around the tree limb, clinging for dear life. It was only then that he realized that he had dropped his knife. He looked down and saw it lying in the dirt, completely useless. The wolf pack gathered underneath his branch. He had expected them to jump and snap at him, but they didn't. They just sat there. They looked up at him with big yellow eyes, their pink tongues hanging out of their mouths, and _drooled_.

Kratos clung to his branch even tighter. Then he heard a sound like wood creaking, and he felt the branch shift. The wolves started to drool a little more. Kratos closed his eyes. _I don't want to die here_, he thought desperately, _At least at home if I got beat up and bled to death in some godsforsaken alley, someone might find me eventually and I might at least be _buried_. But _here_ I'm stuck in a tree, waiting to get eaten by a bunch of damn _wolves_. I'm just going to end up as eight piles of wolf _crap_. This _really_ sucks_… _I don't want to die_…

"Aqua Edge!"

Kratos opened his eyes when he heard the terrified yips issuing from his would be killers. He looked down to see a pack of wolves, who were completely soaked, run and/or limp away from his tree. He tried to straighten up a little and look around, trying to find his mysterious rescuer. The shift in weight was, as it turned out, enough to make the branch Kratos was lying on break. He fell to the ground with a shocked yelp.

"Ow…" he moaned, sitting up and rubbing his head where it had hit the ground.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked. It sounded like it might belong to a woman.

"I'll be fine," said Kratos dismissively, sure that the worst he had gotten was a bruise. He looked over at his rescuers. There were two, a woman and a boy, both with silver hair and bright blue eyes. The older was wearing orange and carrying a wooden staff, the younger was in blue and carried a kendama, though Kratos didn't know that, never having seen one before in his life.

They were wearing identical expressions, displaying a mixture of shock, confusion, and… happiness?

The younger one, Genis, turned to his older sister, still with that strange look on his face. They looked at each other, apparently agreeing on something. Kratos was nervous, why were they looking at him like that? Maybe it was best if he got his knife back and ran for it…

The woman turned to look at him again, looking concerned and confused.

"Kratos?" asked Raine cautiously. "Is that you?"

* * *

**A/N:** I've dumped young Kratos on the Sages... and it makes me feel good. I have lots of stuff in store for them, (-insert mad cackle here-) 

This chapter isn't as good as the first (even though the bit with Noishe was a lot of fun), but please review anyway. I've updated quickly because I got a ton of reviews. So, more reviews equals fast update. (I wish there was a way I could put that so that it doesn't sound like a weird threat...)

Please review!

**Edited on 1/1/08** - Cleaned up some mistakes and edited some paragraphs I didn't like.


	3. Ruins of Libra

Another chapter, another day. Yep.

Anyway, this chapter is going to be more serious than the other two. (i.e. the 'drama' in drama/humor) as I wanted to develop young Kratos's character a little more. Hopefully not everyone will be disappointed by the drama and angst rather than comedy. However, to make up for this chapter's lack of funny, and because I've been unable to find another story that I can do this in, I've decided to try something new...

Teenage Kratos: Why am I tied to a chair?

Holy Spork: ...I'm going to have a muse!

Kratos: Oh gods...

Spork: Disclaimer time!

Kratos: (-angry mutterings-) Tales of Symphonia and its characters, locations, and plotline, belong solely to Namco-Bandai, and not to Holy Spork. There, I said it. Will you untie me now?

Spork: No. I wonder if young Kratos counts as an OC...

* * *

Chapter III: Ruins Of Libra 

_A few minutes previous_…

The Sage siblings had stopped in Iselia during their quest to try to end discrimination. Fortunately, racism wasn't rampant in their hometown, at least, not since the last mayor was thrown out of office. However, there were still some people who would not let go of their old beliefs. While the Sages realized that they could not make _everyone_ accept half-elves, they still persisted. Besides, it was nice to be home.

Raine and Genis had both seen and heard the red Rheaird fly over Iselia. It looked like it might have been Lloyd's Rheaird – maybe he had come back to his hometown to visit! But the vehicle just flew over the town, and off in the direction of the abandoned Desian Human Ranch. The smile that had graced Genis' face at the thought of seeing his best friend again faded as the Rheaird zoomed out of sight, vanishing behind the trees.

Raine looked down at Genis and noticed her little brother's look of disappointment, "Lloyd's probably just gone to see Dirk," she reasoned.

"Yeah…" mumbled the little half-elf.

Raine sighed. Lloyd had Genis had been best friends for much of their lives, she imagined that being separated for so long, and then apparently being ignored, must be hard. "We can go and see if it's him if you like," she offered, "As long as you don't mind a walk through the forest."

Genis brightened up almost immediately, and bolted for the town gate that led off into the Iselia Forest. Raine shook her head and sighed, but she smiled to herself at the same time. She followed her little brother, walking down the dirt path that led through the forest, past the abandoned Desian stronghold, and to Dirk's house. However, before they even reached the old human ranch, the discovered someone who was having a brush with the local wildlife.

Someone they couldn't identify was clinging to a thick tree branch for dear life, as eight wolves looked up at him, saliva dripping from their open mouths. The stranger's auburn hair completely hid his face. Unwilling to let even a complete stranger get eaten by wild animals, Genis pulled out his kendama. The little red ball started to glow blue as he swung the toy-weapon.

"Aqua Edge!"

Thick blades of water sprung from the kendama and flew towards the wolves, who started yipping madly. They quickly retreated, becoming a distant, damp, furry blob. The Sage siblings quickly returned their attention to the stranger. He had started to sit up, presumably to see where the spell had come from. However, it was then that the tree branch broke. The stranger fell to the ground with an undignified yelp. Raine and Genis ran over to him to make sure he was okay.

The stranger slowly sat up, rubbing his head, "Ow…" he moaned.

"Are you okay?" asked Raine, as she sat down next to him.

"I'll be fine," said the stranger dismissively, ignoring the healer's real question. He looked up at them. They recognized him.

Genis and Raine exchanged confused looks. What was going on? Raine looked back at him, unsure of how to react.

"Kratos?" she asked cautiously, "Is that you?"

The auburn-haired boy looked at her in surprise, how did she know his name? He wanted to know, so he asked, "How'd you know my name?" he asked suspiciously, reaching behind him to where his fallen knife lay.

"What do you mean?" asked Genis, "It's us! Don't you remem – "

_Smack!_

"Ow!"

"I'm sorry," stated Raine, "It seems that we've mistaken you for someone else." She had been a little quicker to notice that something was different that Genis. She noticed that this boy was too young to be Kratos. His demand to know why she knew his name, and his not unnoticed attempt to reclaim his weapon, told her that this was not the man that had traveled with Lloyd and their group during their journey to save the world.

Though why he had the old Kratos' name and face was beyond her.

Kratos eyed her suspiciously. "Sis!" whined Genis, clutching his wounded head, "Why'd you hit me?"

"We'll talk about it later," she said. Genis grumbled indignantly.

Kratos picked up his knife and stood up, "Well… thanks for helping me," he said, feeling a little embarrassed about the whole thing. He returned his knife to the sheath he had hidden inside his jacket. The Sage siblings stood up as well, looking over at him, wondering what to do or say next.

"Um… how'd you end up in that tree?" asked Genis, curious, "Are you exploring the forest?"

"Not really," he said, "My Rheaird… ran out of fuel and I had to land in the middle of a clearing. I was trying to make my way back to the town I flew over."

"So that was _you_ on the Rheaird!" said Genis, stating what was now obvious.

"…Yeah," said Kratos, "Actually, I just wanted directions. I'm kind of… lost."

"We'd be happy to help," said Raine, "Where were you going?"

"Libra," said Kratos, "Just point me in the right direction and I'll be okay."

He received blank stares from Genis and Raine. "I'm sorry," said Raine, "We've never heard of Libra."

Kratos stared at them as if they were insane. "You've never heard of Libra?" he said, his surprise evident in his voice, "It's a big city, I would've thought even people out in the middle of _nowhere_ would've heard of it."

"It's not just that," said Raine, slightly offended that he had called Iselia 'the middle of nowhere', "My brother and I have traveled the world for a quite a while. Never once have we ever heard of a city called Libra."

Kratos just kept staring at the half-elves. Apparently he didn't know what to make of this statement. Raine looked at him curiously… wait… was it possible that…?

"What do you think today's date is?" she asked.

Kratos snapped out of his stunned trance, "What?"

"Tell me what you think today's date is," she said, "Don't ask why, just tell me."

He told them the day, month, and year automatically. While he didn't ask why Raine had asked him the date, the look on his face suggested that he thought it was a stupid question.

Genis looked up at Raine, confused. "That's not it at all!" he pointed out.

The auburn-haired boy looked down at Genis, "What do you mean that isn't the date?" he demanded, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Kratos," started Raine slowly, "Did you fly here because you thought that this is where your home was?"

"Yes," snapped Kratos impatiently, "And clearly I was wrong. I'm just going to go to the town and ask – "

"There are some ruins up ahead I think you would be interested in," interrupted Raine, "Just a little way up this path."

"Wait a minute!" said Genis, looking up at his sister, completely stunned, "There are ruins near Iselia? And you haven't gone to see them?"

"I _have_ seen them," she said, "I left the town for a couple hours when we first came back here, remember? The Desian Human Ranch was built on the old foundations of a part of the ruins, and the rest were in Desian territory. With the non-aggression treaty in place, I wasn't able to go see them before."

"Where are the ruins?" asked Kratos suddenly. He had been deep in thought. Ruins… there had been a flash of light before he found himself in that military base. Was it possible that…?

"Hm? Oh, there that way," said Raine, pointing, "Though it would probably be best if we accompanied you, seeing as you were unable to defend yourself against the wolves."

Kratos glared at her, "There were _eight_ of them!" he retorted, "What was I supposed to do? It's not like I had a bottle of anti-wolf spray in my pocket or something crazy like that."

Genis sighed, _It's weird seeing Kratos_…_ a Kratos look-alike or whoever he is, complaining about fighting _wolves_. I don't even think he has an Exsphere equipped._

"Follow me," said Raine, ignoring Kratos' outburst, "The ruins aren't far from here."

Kratos and Genis followed the professor in silence. Genis occasionally glanced over at Kratos, making the connections that Raine had already figured out. The little half-elf wasn't sure what to think about it. Lloyd's father was back, but it wasn't _really_ Kratos was it? At least it wasn't the Kratos they knew. He wondered what Lloyd would say or do if he found out.

Kratos on the other hand was trying not to panic. He knew what the half-elf woman was thinking when she had suggested that he go see the ruins. He desperately hoped that she was wrong. He didn't know what he would do if it turned out that he was so far away from home that he had no chance of ever going back. The future wasn't something he often dwelt on, and he didn't want to think about what would become of him if his home were gone. Libra wasn't much but it was still _home_…

They came to the ruin. There wasn't much of it left: trees had grown among the broken stones, which were worn down from centuries of rain and snow. Rusted metal stuck out of the hard earth at awkward angles, and lay strewn about, their only purpose now to age and collect flaky red rust. The three stood at the other side of a low, broken, stone wall, staring out at the ruins.

Raine turned to look at Kratos, who had not said a word or even looked up from the ruins since they had arrived. Raine had already examined the ruins, once before when she and Genis had first returned to Iselia during their journey to end discrimination. However, she still dearly, _dearly_, _**dearly**_ wanted to inspect the ruins some more, as it was rare that ruins as old as these (she believed they were from the Kharlan War Era) to have lasted as long as they had. Old and broken as they were, they could be invaluable for research, and oh so beautiful! But she restrained herself. She felt that if this place were once this boy's home, it would be callous of her to inspect the ruins in his presence.

"…Kratos?" said Raine quietly, after a minute of silence from the teen, "Are you okay?" He didn't answer, but just continued to stare at the rocks and metal. "Kratos?" she repeated.

Kratos leaped over the stone wall and ran over to a particular pile of rocks and started digging furiously. "Hey! What are you doing?" shouted Genis, "What's wrong?"

The biy didn't look up. His whole being was focused on his labor, digging through the pebbles and stones, looking for something that he prayed wasn't there. But the gods weren't listening, and he found it.

An aged bronze plaque was fixed to a stone at the bottom of the pile. Hesitantly, Kratos brushed the dust and other debris off the plate, so he could read what was written. He didn't have to though, he knew the words by heart: A dedication of a marble statue to a great hero who was once said to have saved the whole city of Libra from a great disaster many years ago. He had passed by the statue almost every single day of his life. Now it was only rubble.

He knew then, that the city, his home, was gone. Only the ruins of Libra remained.

"Kratos?"

He didn't even turn when Raine called his name. "Go away," he said, not looking up.

"But," started Genis, "What if – "

"Just _leave me __**alone**_!" Kratos snarled, turning to glare at the half-elves. He looked away again, to stare at the rocks in silence.

"But – !" started Genis again, but Raine put a hand on his shoulder to silence him. She shook her head. She led him quietly away from Kratos, but not so far that they could no longer see him. Raine glanced down at her young brother.

"Genis," she started, "Do you remember when you and Lloyd were banished from Iselia? Do you remember what that felt like?"

Genis hung his head, "…Yeah," he muttered, "Our home and burned down and everyone I knew wanted to get rid of Lloyd. They rejected us…" Then he perked up, "But Lloyd and I stuck together and found you, Colette, and Kratos, so I wasn't alone!"

"Imagine that you didn't have your best friend with you for a moment," said Raine, "Try to think of what it would be like if you had lost your family, your friends, and everything that you were familiar with when Iselia burned down." She closed her eyes and sighed, as Genis hung his head, "That's what Kratos is going through right now," she continued, "He's just lost absolutely everything. It would be best if we just gave him some space. As soon as he's feeling a little better… we'll take him to Iselia. We'll figure what to do with him when we get there."

Genis stared back at Kratos, who had not moved at all yet. "Sis," he started, "Do you think that he… that he's the same as…?"

Raine sighed again, "I don't know Genis," she said, "Those ruins are approximately four thousand years old. If that is where he grew up, then it's a possibility. But I don't see _how_ it's possible. Unless," she rubbed her chin as she thought, "Maybe Lloyd was playing with the Eternal Sword, or maybe he actively tried to bring his father back. Or maybe it's something else entirely. At the very least we should try to make sure that this Kratos doesn't get into trouble."

Meanwhile, Kratos was trying to grasp… everything. He didn't know what to think. He knew how he felt though. He had lived in Libra his whole life – he didn't know anything about what the world was like outside the city. What was he supposed to do? His family was gone too… every single one of them. Then he snorted, aside from his mother, none of them even _liked_ him. They would probably be more than pleased if Mira Aurion's little mistake had been suddenly thrust into the future. They would probably throw some big fancy party. Kratos sure as hell wouldn't miss any them.

But then there was his mother, who would at least be kind to him, if his grandfather wasn't looking. And there was his best friend Yuan, and his family, who had accepted Kratos like one of their own. The people who had been more of a family then his real blood relations had been.

Kratos quickly rummaged in a pocket, before pulling out a small blue harmonica. Yuan had given it to Kratos as a gift years ago. He could remember the grin on Yuan's face. "You need a hobby," the half-elf had said, "And you need one bad." Kratos fidgeted with the little instrument, wondering if anything had happened to Yuan.

Kratos thought about the home and surrogate family he had just lost. His vision became blurry and his eyes started to sting. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his sleeve. He took several deep, steadying breaths, determined not to cry.

Almost unaware of what he was doing, he started playing the harmonica. It was something he always did when he was stressed or upset, and right now he was both. He didn't even choose a song, just any notes that he thought sounded good together, and all his troubles seemed to drift into the air with the sounds. It did not have to sound good, it just had to take his troubles away for a little while. For a moment, nothing existed except him and the music.

He stopped playing when he realized that he had an audience.

Kratos turned around to see the Sage siblings looking at him with looks of mild shock on their faces. "Um…" he started, feeling uncomfortable, "Is something wrong?"

"I didn't know you could play the harmonica, Kratos!" said Genis, "I hadn't even thought you had any musical talent!"

"We just met," pointed out Kratos, putting the harmonica back in his pocket, "There's a lot of stuff you don't know about me."

"…That's right," said Genis. _I forgot_…

Kratos stood up, stepping over the stone wall and walking away from the half-elves. "Where are you going?" asked Raine.

"Somewhere else," said young Kratos, not even looking back.

"Running off on your own hardly seems like a wise decision," commented Raine, as she followed Kratos, "It's almost nightfall. Wandering through a dark forest you're unfamiliar with could be dangerous."

"I can take care of myself," he snapped.

"Really?" said Raine, raising an eyebrow, "Like you did against those wolves before?"

"Why the hell do you care about me anyway?" snarled the boy, stopping to turn and glare at the professor, "It's not like you _had_ to help me! Why would a couple of elves even _bother_ saving some random stranger from a pack of bloodthirsty animals? Since when did people like you start to _care_ about anything other than yourselves?!"

Genis backed away a step, frightened by Kratos' rage. He had seen the older Kratos angry a couple of times before, but it was still scary. Raine remained calm.

"Firstly, we are not elves," she said serenely, in complete contrast to Kratos' anger, "We're half-elves. Secondly, we helped you because it would have been wrong to leave you alone when you could clearly not defend yourself."

Kratos looked surprised, "You're… half-elves?" he asked, relaxing a little.

Raine was also surprised. She had not expected this reaction, he had calmed down when she revealed her race. "Yes, we're half-elves," she stated, "Is that a problem?"

"Uh, no!" said Kratos, hurriedly, "It's not a problem at all. The nicest people I know are half-elves."

Raine frowned. _He said 'the nicest', not 'some of the nicest'_, she observed. Then she said aloud, "We are staying with the family of a friend of ours back in Iselia, the town you flew over. Seeing as you have nowhere else to go, you could stay with us for a few days until we can figure out what to do next."

"…Okay," said Kratos, for lack of anything better to say, "Um… what are your names?"

"Yes, we weren't really introduced were we?" commented Raine, as she led young Kratos and her little brother away from the ruins, "My name is Raine Sage."

"I'm Genis Sage!" piped up the little mage, feeling more secure now that Kratos wasn't angry anymore, "Raine's my sister."

Kratos said nothing, as he was unsure of what he should say next. "Kratos, what's your last name?" asked Raine.

"… It's Aurion," said Kratos after a pause.

Raine said nothing.

* * *

The Sage siblings and Kratos arrived in Iselia without incident. Kratos noticed that he drew stares as they walked through the village. Was the guy that the Sages had first mistaken him for well known in the town? Did he really look _that_ much like this stranger? _It's creepy_… he decided, avoiding eye contact with the villagers. 

Soon they arrived at the Brunel household. Genis and Raine's home had not been rebuilt since the burning of Iselia, so they had been staying with Colette's family while they were in town. Phaidra and Frank warmly welcomed Kratos, though after a little explaining and a slightly fabricated story from Raine. Shortly after they ate dinner. Kratos was clearly trying to be polite but still wolfed down his food with surprising speed. All present were strongly reminded of Lloyd and his infamous eating habits. Then as the sun set, the issue of where Kratos would sleep that night came up. Genis and Raine were staying in the only guestroom, and the Brunel's old couch was uncomfortable at best, and made bizarre creaking noises.

"I'll be fine on the couch," said Kratos, when his hosts told him about the state of that particular piece of furniture, "I can sleep pretty much anywhere. If it gets too bad I'll just sleep on the floor."

They lent him a blanket and a pillow, and Kratos curled up on the sofa and promptly went to sleep. Shortly thereafter, and before she too went to sleep, Raine went to check on Kraots.

The professor looked down at the form of the sleeping boy. She had wondered if he would actually fall asleep, but then dismissed the notion. Judging from the little she knew, this Kratos had not yet met Mithos, so he wouldn't be an angel, and so he would need sleep. It was strange, she wasn't sure if she had ever actually seen the old Kratos sleep. She had seen him horizontal during the Journey of Regeneration, but now she believed that he had only been pretending. Now this Kratos was truly deeply asleep, his eyes closed and his breathing slow and soft.

She realized then that since she had seen him, she had been almost constantly comparing him to the old Kratos. That was unfair of her. Four thousand years separated the two, and judging the younger based on the actions of the older was unreasonable. Four thousand years of life one doesn't want to live would change anyone…

Raine noticed Kratos' jacket hanging on the back of the sofa. Curious about something, she quietly searched it, until she found a knife in a leather sheath hidden in an inside pocket. _In what kind of environment did a kid learn to carry a knife? In what conditions did Kratos grow up?_ Raine wondered, not for the first time. _Poor kid._

She took a step back, speculating about how young Kratos had dropped into their lives. Well, sometime soon she would try to get into contact with Lloyd, and see if the Eternal Sword could send Kratos back home. She wondered how Lloyd would react if he met a seventeen-year-old version of his father. She wondered if they would get along.

Raine could do nothing more right then. All she could do was wait for tomorrow.

* * *

**A/N:** And so ends chapter 3. There are so many ironies in this chapter they _burn_... Anyway, the next chapter will be funny, I promise. 

Kratos: What makes you think that? And can you untie me _now_?

Spork: No. As for the funny, who departed for Iselia a chapter ago?

Kratos: Wasn't it that idiot in red...oh, wait a minute...

Spork: And what green-furred critter follows said 'idiot in red' everywhere?

Kratos: ...You're enjoying this aren't you?

Spork: Yep. And you _still_ don't know exactly how far in the future you are, and your relation to Lloyd, among other things. And I still have some plot twists in mind that will _hopefully_ catch at least _one_ person unawares...

Kratos: I hate you.

Spork: To my dear readers: Again, please review. That is, could the readers I haven't alienated please review?

**Edited on 1/1/08 **- Cleaned up some errors and got rid of some dialogue I didn't like.


	4. Bad Karma

Holy Spork: Yay, another chapter!

Young Kratos: ...This is going to be painful, isn't it?

Spork: You make it sound like I'm going to kill you.

Kratos: Look, if I was a real person, you'd be arrested for abuse. And _convicted_. And Namco-Bandi would probably sue you, 'cuz you don't own Tales of Symphonia, its characters, plot line, or locations, and you still went ahead and used them.

Spork: ...Hey, I made the disclaimer kinda sorta interesting! Yay!

Kratos: I'm going over there, where the _sane_ people are.

* * *

Chapter IV: Bad Karma 

The next morning the Sage siblings discovered that Kratos' claim that he could sleep pretty much anywhere was true. He was still lying on the old couch, out cold. The blanket was lying in a heap on the floor, the pillow had migrated to his feet, he had one arm and one leg dangling off the edge of the sofa, and he was snoring gently.

"I suppose this means that he's recovered a little from losing his home," commented Raine, looking down at the sleeping teen with her arms crossed. Seeing Kratos sleeping like this reminded her vividly of Lloyd, and she wondered if sleeping patterns were genetically inheritable.

"Should we wake him up?" asked Genis, who was wondering how the pillow had ended up by Kratos' feet.

"No, let's let him rest a little more," said Raine, "It's early, and he had a hard day yesterday."

This opinion was reversed however, at ten o'clock, when they discovered that Kratos was _still_ sleeping. As far as they could tell he hadn't even twitched. If it weren't for the slow rise and fall of his chest and the snoring, he could have been dead.

Genis charged himself with rousing the boy. "Kratos?" said Genis, "It's time to get up."

No response.

The half-elf poked him in the side, "Wake up Kratos!"

The teen murmured something about muffins before rolling onto his side, so his back was to Genis.

"He's just like Lloyd…" muttered the little mage. Then he had a brilliant idea: if Kratos was like Lloyd, then maybe methods that got Lloyd to wake up would work! Genis brandished his kendama.

"Spread!"

"AHHHHHH! COLD COLD COLD!"

Kratos jumped into the air, soaking wet and spitting water, only to trip on the blanket on the floor and fall on his face. He slowly sat up again, cursing like a sailor.

Genis was laughing so hard he was in danger of rupturing his lungs.

Then the little half-elf was lifted up roughly by the collar of his shirt. Kratos, his damp red hair clinging to his face and neck, was glaring death at Genis. **"Is this how you normally wake people up, **_**pipsqueak**_**?"** he snarled, his voice quiet and deadly. Genis whimpered.

_Smack!_

"Ow!"

_Thud!_

"Ow!"

"Don't you _dare_ threaten Genis!" snapped an angry Raine, as Kratos clutched his head, and Genis lay moaning on the floor where the older boy had dropped him.

"All right! All right!" said Kratos, backing away from the enraged schoolteacher, "I'll leave him alone!" He looked down at his damp red t-shirt and his soaked jeans. "Can I at least have a towel?"

"They're in the bathroom, over there," said Raine, pointing.

A minute later Kratos came back, having gone from soaking to merely damp. Muttering about 'damn wake-up calls' he slipped his windbreaker back on. After a little rummaging in the Brunel's kitchen, he uncovered the necessary supplies to make a cup of coffee. Later, Genis found Kratos staring at the coffeemaker as if he had a grudge against the appliance.

"Before you ask," Kratos started, without even looking at the half-elf, "I don't eat breakfast, but I can't live without caffeine. I'll openly admit I have coffee in my veins rather than blood, and I don't give a damn anymore."

"Um…."

"I'm not a morning person, so just tell me what the hell it is you want. Or you can just wait. I can promise that I'll be less of an asshole after I've had some coffee."

Genis had been going to ask why Kratos had gone through the Brunel's kitchen without asking, but instead, thought to himself, _Yup, he's not a morning person, even if it's already past ten._

Shortly thereafter, Kratos and Genis were sitting at the table, the former happily sipping his coffee from an old white mug. The latter fidgeted.

"Hey Genis," started Kratos, putting the mug down for a moment, "You and Raine are from here, right?"

"I grew up here if that's what you mean," said Genis, "Why do you ask?"

"…What's it like?"

"Huh?"

"I grew up in a big city," said Kratos, shrugging, "And I've only ever been outside Libra once before now. I was just wondering… you know, what it's like, living in a small town like this."

"Well," started Genis, wondering where to start, "Everyone pretty much knows everyone else for starters. I dunno if it's like that in a city. Nothing really exciting happens here, and you see the same people every day, but it's really peaceful. And the people here aren't bad."

"They don't bother you? The other villagers, I mean, because you're half-elves?"

Genis shook his head and grinned, "Nope!" he said happily, "Not at all. The last mayor was a bit of a jerk, but he got thrown out of office. It doesn't matter here what race we are to anyone now! It's great!"

Kratos stared at Genis. He couldn't seem to wrap his mind around the idea that humans might accept half-elves. _If people here accept half-elves, then maybe they_ –

Both Kratos and Genis heard someone knock at the front door, but only Genis took an interest in it. Kratos' train of thought was derailed, but immediately lost interest in both that and the knocking. He figured, _Well, I'm a guest, so I probably shouldn't answer the door, _and went back to drinking his coffee. Genis walked to the front door and opened it to see the newcomer. He broke out into a wide grin.

"Colette!" he shouted, stepping outside with Colette, "You're back!"

"Yup!" the former Chosen said cheerfully, "Lloyd and Noishe are here too, but they were held back talking to someone else. He said it was okay if I went ahead without him. I'm so glad you're here too! Is Raine and grandma and Dad home too?"

"Yeah," said Genis, smiling, "And… there's someone else here too."

"Who?" asked Colette, "Is it Sheena? Or Zelos?"

"No… but I'm kind of worried about how Lloyd will react."

Colette's face fell, "What's wrong?" she asked, radiating concern.

"Well…"

"You were talking about me weren't you?"

The two turned to see a disgruntled looking Kratos step outside to join them. Colette stared at him, opened mouthed. Genis looked away as if embarrassed, and Kratos glared at Colette as if he was daring her to say something. Then Colette did something truly amazing: she tripped while standing still.

"Oops!"

The universe has Laws. Everyone knows this. The Laws dictate that certain things happen at certain times or under specific conditions. And it was because of the Laws of the universe, that at that moment, Colette tripped, and landed on Kratos, toppling him. They both landed on the ground, Colette on top of Kratos.

The pair blushed, Colette lying on Kratos' chest. "I'm so sorry!" she chirped, "Did I hurt you?"

"Uh… I, uh…" stammered the boy, red as a cherry. He had never been so close to a girl before in his whole life. Literally.

And again, as the Laws of the universe dictated, this was when Lloyd arrived and spotted the two.

"WHAB THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Kratos pushed Colette off of himself and leaped to his feet. "What are you doing here?" he snarled at Lloyd.

"What's going on?" started Genis, totally confused, "You two have met?"

"He's the one thab brode mah nobe!" said Lloyd, pointing an accusing finger at the red-headed teen.

"Well, you were chasing me!" said Kratos defensively, "And you drew your swords! Did you think I was just going to roll over, dumbass?"

"SBOP CALLING ME A DUMBASS!"

"MAYBE IF YOU GROW A DAMN BRAIN I MIGHT!"

"I ALREADY _GOB_ ONE, JERK!"

"AS IF ANYONE CAN _ACTUALLY_ TELL, MORON!"

"Please stop fighting!" interjected Colette, raising her voice so she could be heard over the din.

The two boys stopped shouting, but continued to glare at one another. Then Lloyd did something very, **very** mean.

"NOISHE!"

Kratos opened his mouth to say, "What the hell was that about?" but was interrupted when he was tackled by something big, furry, and _green_.

It growled at him.

Picture Noishe the protozoan for a moment. The big, furry, and loveable green 'dog' that was Lloyd's old friend, and who Kratos had manipulated was _not_ what was staring the auburn-haired teen in the face. Noishe was growling menacingly, in a 'Move-at-all-and-I'll-ripe-your-throat-out-you-damn-monkey' type growl.. But more importantly to Kratos, and more to the point as it were, was the teeth. Noishe had pulled his lips back into a snarl of rage, exposing many thick, pointy, white teeth.

Noishe was obviously upset that an old friend had manipulated him, and that he had been denied a promised steak. Noishe _liked_ steak.

Kratos tried to move, but the protozoan's giant paws were placed firmly on the boy's shoulders, preventing his escape. Noishe's growl grew in volume when Kratos tried to wriggle free. Kratos decided that it was best to remain _very_ still. Kratos _knew_ that he had been working up some bad karma recently, but he didn't think that he deserved _this_.

"I thoughb id mighb habe been you Noishe was mad ad," stated Lloyd, "He seemed upseb aboud something."

"Wow, you 'thought'?" said Kratos snidely, "I'm amazed. Congratulations."

"PLEASE stop fighting!" repeated Colette, with a little more desperation in her voice. She turned to Lloyd, "Please don't hurt Kratos!" she pleaded, "Please try to get along!"

"How the hell did she know my name?" demanded Kratos. Then he demanded of the universe in general, "Why does everyone I've run into recently know my name? Was it stitched on my forehead while I was asleep or something?"

"Don't you remember us?" stated Colette, oblivious as always, "We went on the Journey of Regeneration together! All of us!"

"He's not _that_ Kratos!" interjected Genis suddenly, "He's different!"

Lloyd frowned at his best friend, "Whab do you mean he's differend?"

It was then that Raine came outside to see what the commotion was about and discovered them. She looked from Kratos pinned to the ground by a potentially violent Noishe, to Lloyd and his nose that had clearly been broken shortly before now, to Colette and Genis, who simply looked helpless.

"Probessor!" exclaimed Lloyd upon seeing his old teacher, "Whab's going on? Do you know what happened to Da – Krados?"

Kratos frowned. _He did it again,_ he noticed, _He said that back in that snowy place. He was going to call me something else. 'Da-' what? Is that supposed to be a nickname?_

"Lloyd, what happened to your nose?" asked Raine, noticing that Lloyd's speech had changed.

Lloyd pointed an accusing finger at the younger version of his father, "He punched me in the face!" blamed Lloyd.

Raine walked over to him, and with a brief flash of green light, cast First Aid on his nose. "Is that any better?" she asked.

Lloyd tentatively touched the end of his nose. "Yup, it doesn't hurt anymore! Thanks Professor Sage!"

"Now tell me what happened between you and Kratos," said Raine authoritatively, folding her arms.

"Can you get this mutt off me first?" asked Kratos, who immediately attempted to stop breathing as Noishe snapped at his face.

"Lloyd, it probably would be for the best if you asked Noishe to release Kratos." Raine said. "However," she added, looking back at the trapped teen, "Should you try to run away before the issue is resolved, we will not attempt to stop Noishe from catching you. I highly doubt you can outrun him."

Lloyd told Noishe to get off his prey, which he reluctantly did. He stopped growling, but continued to stare at Kratos in a menacing manner, even after the teen got back on his feet. Raine turned to Lloyd again, after making sure that Noishe would not _immediately_ attempt to harm the previously pinned delinquent. "Tell me what happened Lloyd."

"Well, Colette and me went to Flanoir," started Lloyd, "And we met Yuan there. He said that the Renegades were looking for someone after some stuff in at the base broke. Then he started chasing someone, who he lost track off. Then I started chasing the guy that Yuan was chasing, and when I cornered him I found out it was Kratos. Then he punched me in the face and ran off."

"Yuan?" said Kratos, "Who's Yuan?"

They all turned to stare at him. "Yuan was the guy that was chasing you," said Lloyd, "I thought you knew that."

Kratos looked confused. He felt confused. He remembered the guy that had been ordering the men that had chased him, the ones from the military base. That guy _had_ looked a lot like the Yuan he knew. He had the blue hair and the same face, but he looked older, and he had held himself differently, had not acted like the carefree half-elf Kratos had befriended.

"Why was Yuan chasing you anyway?" inquired Lloyd, ignoring the other boy's discomfort.

Kratos snapped out of his confusion to glare at Lloyd, "How the hell should I know?" he snapped, "I don't even know who he is!"

They all stared. This was news to them. "You… don't know?" asked Lloyd.

"No!" persisted the will-be seraph, "I was just minding my own business, then there was this weird flash of light, and suddenly I'm in the middle of some military base. Then I stole a Rheaird to get away from the guys that were chasing me, and I ended up in that snowy city. The men from the base followed me there, and then you," he pointed at Lloyd, "Started chasing me too. I thought you were with them."

There was a pause as this sunk in. No one seemed to have any idea what to say next. Raine sighed, and broke the silence, "It seems that what has transpired was the result of a grand misunderstanding," she said, "Lloyd perused Kratos because Yuan did for unknown reasons, and Kratos attacked Lloyd because he felt threatened."

This statement was followed the kind of silence that is generally represented by ellipses.

"So… we can all be friends now, right?" said Colette, smiling cheerfully.

There came more silence, and more ellipses.

"…Please?" the ex-Chosen added.

"He did punch me in the face," muttered Lloyd.

"He did sic his dog on me," muttered Kratos.

_Smack! Smack!_

"OW!" Times two.

"You're both being immature," lectured Raine, as the two boys clutched their wounded heads, "Neither of you will get anywhere if you continue to carry this childish grudge. Now apologize to each other!"

"What? You're kidding right?" demanded young Kratos, who, unlike Lloyd, didn't realize what the difference between protest and suicide was when it came to dealing with the Professor.

She smacked him again. "Stop whining!" Raine snapped, ignoring his pained moan, "And apologize!"

The two teens looked at each other, then at their feet.

"Sorry I chased you and set Noishe on you," muttered Lloyd.

"Sorry about breaking your face." muttered Kratos.

Cue awkward silence. "That's probably the most I should expect from you two for now," Raine stated calmly, "So Lloyd and Colette, how's your journey going?"

"It's great!" piped up Colette, "We get to go all over the place. We've found a lot of Exspheres, and – "

And so on. Genis quickly jumped into the conversation, happy to hear about what his friends had been doing for the past four months. Kratos and Lloyd silently stared at one another.

Lloyd thought, _So he isn't my Dad. Not really. I thought for a while that maybe, somehow, he'd come back_…

Kratos was thinking, _Why the hell is he staring at me like that? It's weird_…

Noishe whined. Kratos turned, he had completely forgotten about the protozoan. Noishe, however, hadn't forgotten, and was still glaring daggers at Kratos. "What did you do to Noishe to make him so angry anyway?" asked Lloyd.

Kratos took a slow step away from the protozoan, "I promised him a steak,"

"What?"

"Look," started Kratos, "I had to get off the snowy island – "

"Flanoir, you mean."

"Yeah, whatever. I had to get away, and the only way I could think of was by Rheaird. I found a bunch of them outside the city walls, but there were guards there. Then this dog showed up and I promised that I'd get him a steak if he distracted the guards."

"Why don't you just get him a steak now?" suggested Lloyd, "Then maybe he'll stop glaring at you like that."

"I'm broke," said Kratos flatly, "Unless I kill a cow and give him the carcass, how do you think I'm supposed to get him a steak?"

Lloyd looked a little grossed-out, but rummaged in a pocket and tossed a few coins at a Kratos. He caught them all. "What?"

"There's a butcher's shop over there," said Lloyd, pointing, "I'm kind of worried. I've never seen Noishe like this… it's probably best to give him what he wants."

"What?" Kratos said, glaring at Lloyd, "I'm _not_ going to be a waiter for some mangy dog!"

Noishe started to growl again, "Okay! I'll get you the damn steak!" Kratos conceded, deciding that it was better to live without pride, then to die with it.

"Hey, Lloyd!" Colette piped up, walking over to the inattentive swordsman, "Come tell Genis and the Professor how you beat that dragon in Latheon Gorge!"

"Sure!" said Lloyd, grinning. He walked over to brag, leaving Kratos to feel like he had been abandoned. He looked down at Noishe. The protozoan stared back with a disturbingly hungry look in his eyes.

_I hate my life_, Kratos thought, as he walked in the direction Lloyd had indicated. Five minutes later he walked out of the butcher's with a slab of meat wrapped in brown paper. Noishe was outside, staring at it hungrily. Then he grabbed the packet with his teeth and started tearing at it viciously and devoured the meat in seconds.

"…You're welcome," said Kratos sarcastically as he watched Noishe stuff himself. He looked around, and noticed that he was attracting stares from the villagers again. Admittedly a lot of them were staring at Noishe as he gulped down his steak, but plenty of them were staring at Kratos. He looked away.

Noishe finished his meal and looked up at Kratos. He understood now, listening to Lloyd and the others, that this Kratos was different. But there were still some things he wanted to get straight for himself. He grabbed Kratos by a jacket sleeve with his teeth and tugged gently. Kratos looked down. "What the hell do you want now?" he asked.

Noishe tugged again, then let go, trotting in the direction of the gate to the Iselia Forest. The protozoan turned and looked behind him, to see that the teen had not moved. Kratos had cocked his head to one side, and was staring at Noishe, his arms crossed. _Does it want me to follow it?_

Noishe howled, then trotted off to the gate. Kratos followed, wondering if maybe he shouldn't. But then he had finally fulfilled his promise, or maybe Noishe didn't see it that way… Kratos was curious though, and that overrode caution.

He followed Noishe out of the town and a short ways into the forest. They went into a small clearing where Noishe sat down and stared at Kratos with his shiny black eyes. Kratos reached inside his jacket, feeling the concealed knife handle, and a little more secure. Noishe cocked his head to one side, his ears drooping a little. It looked as if he was concentrating.

Kratos felt as if something cold slithered up his spine. He flinched, and then he felt something get inside his head. It was suddenly like there was someone else inside his skull, sitting in there with him. He yelped and clutched his head, "W-what the hell?"

Noishe whined. Kratos heard the noise plainly. But somewhere between his ears and his brain, the sound seemed to change. It turned into a haughty male voice:

"_You're jittery today, aren't you Kratos?"_

* * *

**A/N:** Yay for telepathy! I can now have an animal talk! 

Kratos: What the hell did you do to me?!

Noishe: Whine!

Kratos: AH! Make it stop!

Noishe: Whine!

Kratos: That's a lie you little - !

Spork: I should probably leave it at that... anyway, please review. And constructive criticism is welcome. (My head needs to be deflated every now and then to keep me from floating away, you know?)

**Edited on 1/1/08 **- Cleaned up some errors and made some sentences a little clearer.


	5. Revise That Statement

Holy Spork: Here comes another chapter! I'm really on a roll with these!

Young Kratos: Shouldn't you update any of your other stories? Don't you have any _other_ characters you can go and annoy?

Spork: I've just got a bit of writer's block.

Kratos: For _three_ stories? One of which you haven't updated in over a year?

Spork: The guilt, IT BURNS!

Kratos: Holy Spork does not own Tales of Symphonia, its characters, plot line, or locations, Namco-Bandai does. But for some reason she still controls my fate... damn.

* * *

Chapter V: Revise That Statement 

Young Kratos stared at Noishe open mouthed, still clutching his head. Had the green animal just _talked_ to him in his _head_?

Noishe whined.

_"__That look isn't very becoming of you. You look like a fish that's trapped on a beach."_

"What the hell is going on?!" yelped Kratos.

Noishe's shoulders sagged in a manner that suggested a shrug, _"It seems that I'm going to have to explain myself."_

"Obviously!"

One of Noishe's big ears twitched, _"It seems that I was right in bringing you into the forest,"_ he said, _"You would've caused an interesting scene back in the village."_

"Yeah, normally people who think that animals talk get locked up!" Kratos seemed to realize what he had said and groaned. "Oh dammit, if anyone finds out about this _I'm_ going to be locked up!" Then he glared at Noishe, "Unless you talk to people like this on a regular basis."

_"__No, this _is_ irregular,"_ admitted Noishe, _"Because I cannot establish a telepathic link with just anyone."_

"Establish a what?"

Noishe rolled his eyes, _"A telepathic link,"_ he said, using a tone that someone would use to explain something to Lloyd, _"That's how I can talk to you now. By forming a telepathic link to you so you can understand me."_

"What do you mean that you can't establish a link with 'just anyone'?"

Noishe hesitated. He had known Kratos – the old Kratos anyway – for a very, _very_ long time. Kratos had told him about his childhood during their travels to end the Kharlan war, when he couldn't find anyone else to confide in. That was before Cruxis, before he closed himself off to the whole world. Noishe knew that if he told this Kratos the truth, and the whole truth about _why_ he could talk to him, he would have to admit that he knew something that he probably, in the young Kratos' eyes, shouldn't.

The protozoan decided to fall back on a tried and true tradition: changing the subject. _"I wanted to talk to you about something important,"_ started Noishe. Kratos frowned in a 'just get to the point will you?' manner. _"I need to know what it was you were doing before you found yourself in the Renegade base."_

"You mean that military base?"

_"Yes."_

Kratos seemed to think about it for a minute, then asked, "Why do you need to know so bad? I mean, what's that got to do with anything?"

Noishe sighed as best as a being with a muzzle could, _"Then maybe I should ask a different question,"_ he said, almost wearily, _"How old are you?"_

"Seventeen," said Kratos without hesitation.

Noishe nodded his head, _"That's good."_

Noishe remembered quite a lot of what Kratos had told him about his childhood. This included some of the more… unpleasant parts. He had wanted to know at which stage of his childhood he had reached. If he remembered correctly, then seventeen was an okay age.

"Why?" asked the boy, "Does how old I am matter?"

_"__It's just something I wanted to get straight for myself."_ Said the protozoan.

"…That's why you dragged me into the forest and got inside my head?" asked Kratos angrily, "You wanted to know my _age_?"

_"__Firstly, I didn't 'drag' you out here,"_ said Noishe, resentment in his voice, _"Secondly, I'm sorry if you find this method of communication invasive. Normally, with people whom are familiar with me, I will ask permission, and will only establish a telepathic link if they consent. As you wouldn't have understood what I wanted, I didn't ask for permission this time. If it helps at all, I'll ask next time."_

"How will I be able to tell if you can't talk?"

"_You'll know."_

Kratos looked away for a moment, wondering exactly what Noishe met. Then he looked back that the 'dog'. "Did you know the guy that everyone keeps mistaking me for? The other Kratos?"

Noishe's ears drooped suddenly, and young Kratos suddenly wondered if maybe he shouldn't have asked.

_"__Yes,"_ said Noishe suddenly, his 'voice' solemn, _"I did know him. We were old friends."_

"Who was he then?"

Noishe shook his head, _"I can't tell you." _Before Kratos could object, he added quickly, _"It's not for me to say. I don't have the right to. If you really must know, ask Lloyd. He's the one that wears red. The one whose nose you broke."_ Noishe added, disapprovingly.

"Is the other Kratos really that sensitive a topic?" asked young Kratos, "What did he do that was so bad?"

Noishe said nothing for a really long time. He stared down sadly at his paws. _"He made a choice,"_ explained Noishe, _"It was his, and his alone. I'm not sure what his reasoning was exactly, but he thought it was the right thing to do. But it hurt some people, and I know one still hasn't forgotten."_

_Poor Lloyd,_ thought Noishe, _It must have been painful for him to realize that his father had not really returned home. It wasn't right for Kratos to leave just when his son was starting to accept him._

Young Kratos looked at his feet. He made his own judgments of this other Kratos from Noishe's words and tone of voice.

He didn't like him.

For a long time neither of them could think of anything to say. "Well, thanks for at least telling me _something_," said young Kratos, unable to think of anything else that wasn't rude. It was probably best if he didn't offend a being that could get inside his head. He wandered to the edge of the clearing, were he sat down, his back against the rough bark. Without a conscious thought, he pulled out his harmonica and started playing to occupy himself.

This didn't seem to amuse Noishe. He whined. _"Shouldn't you go back to the others?"_

Kratos stopped playing abruptly. "Why?" he asked, bitterness creeping into his voice, "The guy in red – Lloyd or whatever – sent me away to feed you. I can tell when I'm not wanted."

Noishe growled, _"You're acting like a child,"_ he chastised, _"You've only just met them. Now go back there, and get along."_

"As if you can just _order_ me to do that," snarled the teen, "You can't force me to do anything."

Noishe growled, exposing his sharp teeth. Kratos cringed.

_ "Do you wish to revise that statement?"_

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Iselia proper: 

"Hey, shouldn't Kratos be back by now?"

Genis made this observation, after several minutes spent listening to Colette and Lloyd's tales of their adventures together. He was starting to worry about the auburn-haired boy's absence.

"You're right," said Raine, as she took a quick scan of the street by the Brunel home, "Perhaps something held him up."

Colette gasped, "You don't think Noishe did something mean to him?"

They all stared at Colette, each thinking a variation on the theme of, _And pinning Kratos to the ground and growling at him isn't what you consider mean?_

"…Should we go look for him?" suggested Genis, breaking the silence.

"I don't think that will be necessary," said Raine with a small smile, "It seems that they've returned on their own."

The children looked around and spotted a rather sulky Kratos walking back to the group, followed by a happy Noishe, his tail wagging. "Oh, you're back!" chirped Colette.

"Thanks for noticing," said Kratos dryly. Noishe growled, and Kratos glared down at him. Noishe had broken the telepathic link after they walked back into the forest, leaving Kratos to feel like he was the only one inside his head again. However, that didn't stop him from imagining what the protozoan was thinking or, as it could be called, saying.

"You were gone a long time," said Raine, "Is everything all right?"

Kratos shrugged, "There was a line at the butcher's," he lied, "It took a while to get Noishe his steak."

Noishe gave a contented bark. Lloyd patted the protozoan's head. "He seems really happy now!" said Lloyd.

_I'll bet,_ thought young Kratos sourly, _He knows he can get inside my head now._

"Why don't you three show Kratos the rest of Iselia?" suggested Raine, trying to break the ice that was forming on the conversation.

"That's right!" chirped Colette, "You haven't been here before have you?"

"Uh…" Kratos stammered. He wasn't used to such a warm reception from complete strangers. They hadn't interrogated him or made any real demands of him. He didn't get it…

Colette grabbed Kratos' wrist, "Let's show him around Lloyd!" she chirped, dragging the unfortunate boy away, "There's the schoolhouse, where Professor Sage teaches, and that's the path that goes to the Martel Chapel," started Colette cheerfully, pointing everywhere, her voice starting to fade as they got further away.

"Let go of my arm!" interrupted Kratos, as he was dragged away, "I can walk on my own, and I don't want it ripped out of its socket!"

Raine, Genis, and Lloyd watched the disappearing scene in a slightly horrified silence. "Are you going to go with them?" asked Raine.

"Yeah," said Lloyd, "But… can I ask you something first?"

Raine nodded. Genis, sensing that he had become the third wheel, took off after Colette and her prisoner. "You want to know about… _this_ Kratos, correct?" Raine stated.

Lloyd shifted his weight uncomfortably, before mumbling, "Yeah, I mean, he looks like Dad… but he can't be. He's my age, and he doesn't know us or anything…"

Raine felt a strange sympathy swell up inside her chest. She recalled meeting her mother, Virginia, in Exire during their adventures. The poor woman's mind had broken. When Raine had founder her, she had been cradling a little rag doll that she thought was her daughter, completely oblivious to the reality all around her. She had gone somewhere Raine would never be able to follow. Raine would never have a real relationship with her parent. She imagined that Lloyd must be feeling something similar. He had finally met his biological father, and had finally started to accept him, to want a relationship with him. Then Kratos had asked Lloyd to exile him on Derris-Kharlan, to repent for sins which to them he had already been forgiven. Lloyd would never again see his Dad, and to suddenly have a look-alike appear out of thin air like this… it must be a terrible feeling.

"I'm not entirely sure who he is," she said slowly, "I have two guesses, though they both involve a lot of assumption. Either he is a younger version of the Kratos we know, and has somehow been displaced in time, or he is some kind of clone. Judging from the story you and he told, the Renegades are involved in his coming here. They're probably the ones with the answers."

"But they were chasing him…"

"They were probably trying to contain the situation," said Raine, "Keep it from getting out of hand. But as he's already here… we should at least be kind to him."

Lloyd looked away, digesting Raine's words. He muttered something about 'going to go with the others' and walked off. Raine watched him go. _Hopefully this can be resolved quickly and without too much trouble._ She thought.

* * *

Spork: Oh you wish Raine, you _wish._

Ah... Lloyd is so... angsty in this chapter. I want happy Lloyd back. But I can't have him back until he gets used to young Kratos...

Kratos: You make me sound like a disease.

Spork: Pleaes review again. But as a quick warning, next time, I really won't update _Past and Future_ until I update something else. So it might be a while...

**Edited on 1/1/08** - Cleaned up.


	6. Live Your Own Life

Holy Spork: Remember last chapter, when I said I wasn't going to update _Past and Future_ until I updated something else? Yeah, that resolution didn't last long.

Young Kratos: Or maybe it was because your head almost exploded trying to overcome your writer's block.

Spork: Whatever. Anyway, I'm back. Here's the next chapter.

Kratos: Holy Spork has no legal rights to Tales of Symphonia, its characters, plot line, or locations. Damn, that's really boring, do I have to say that _every_ chapter?

Spork: Until I can get a restraining order against all the lawyers in the world, or I successfully take over the world and/or Namco-Bandai, then yes.

* * *

Chapter VI: Live Your Own Life 

"And that's the mayor's office! And that's where Genis and Professor Raine's house was until it burned down! And that's a dog I named Cookie! And that's – "

Kratos had stopped listening to Colette a long time ago. He let her drag him around the tiny town showing him every building and introducing him to everyone (and everything) they ran into. It had become rather dull. _How can she be so cheerful all the time?_ He wondered as the blonde continued to drag him around the town.

He turned to see Genis catch up with them. Kratos mouthed 'help me' before Colette could start to drag him off again. "Uh… how's the tour going Colette?" asked Genis, more or less ignoring Kratos' silent plea for aid.

"It's going great!" she chirped as Kratos groaned, "We've gone almost everywhere!"

Genis turned to Kratos, who looked bored. "Um…" started the little half-elf hesitantly, "Why don't we do something else for a while?"

"Sure!" said Colette, "Kratos, why don't you tell us about where you're from?"

Kratos took a moment to get used to this sudden change of topic, but then said, "You want to know about _Libra_?"

"Why not?" said Genis, "What's it like? Where'd you live in it?"

"It's… a city," said Kratos lamely, "A typical, dirty, crowded, ugly city." He shrugged, "There's not a lot to say about it."

"Awww… that's no fun!" said Genis, "C'mon, what's it like?"

"Well…" Kratos thought for a minute, "It's enormous compared to Iselia. And there are people _everywhere_, at least during the day. Libra's the capital of Sylvarant, so there's also the castle and stuff, then there's – "

"Wait a minute!" said Genis, staring at Kratos in what could almost be described as awe, "Libra used to be the _capital_ of Sylvarant?"

"Uh… yeah," said Kratos.

"Did you ever meet the king?" asked Colette, almost bouncing with excitement, "What was he like? Was he a good king?"

"Yes, I met the king," said Kratos grudgingly, "He's not the greatest king to have ever lived, and he's a creep. Seriously, you wouldn't want to leave him alone with anyone. _Ever._"

Genis stared at Kratos. A teenage kid in jeans and messy hair met the king of a whole nation? "How'd you meet him?" asked the mage.

"Long story," said Kratos, dodging the question.

Before young Kratos could be interrogated further, Lloyd caught up with the group. "Hey guys!" said the boy cheerfully, "How's the tour going?"

"It went well!" said Colette, "Kratos was just telling us about his home!"

"Really?" Lloyd turned to Kratos, "Where are you from?"

"A city," started young Kratos, "Called Libra. It used to be here, now it's just ruins…" he trailed off, "It doesn't matter anyway."

"What'd you mean 'it used to be here'?" asked Lloyd.

"It doesn't matter," repeated the redhead, hoping that Lloyd wouldn't peruse the issue further.

He didn't. "Well, what do you think of Iselia?" asked the brown-haired teen.

Kratos shrugged, "It's all right," he said.

"Oh!" said Colette, apparently just thinking of something, "Have you met Dirk yet?"

Kratos cocked his head to one side, a confused look on his face. It made him look very much like his older self when he was puzzled. "Who?"

"Why don't you introduce him to Dirk, Lloyd?" said Colette.

The eternal swordsman shrugged, "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Who's Dirk?" asked Kratos, pretty sure he was going to be ignored.

"C'mon Lloyd!" continued Colette, "He's met everyone else here!"

"It's like I don't exist," muttered Kratos sourly.

"Don't mind them," said Genis, "They're not trying to ignore you. They just want to be friendly."

"Funny way of showing it."

"Don't be so cynical!" said Genis, "Just give them a chance. Even though Lloyd's human, he's my best friend! And it's almost impossible for Colette to not like anyone! They're good people."

Kratos said nothing. Then he heard someone call his name. "What?" he said, looking up at Lloyd and Colette.

"I said, you want to meet Dirk?" asked Lloyd.

"Who's Dirk?"

"He's my foster father," said Lloyd, "He's a dwarf, but he lives in the forest. You want to meet him?"

"Um…" Kratos hesitated. Then he decided on a half-hearted whim, "…Sure."

"All right!" said Lloyd, "We'll be back soon!" he said to Colette and Genis, leading Kratos away and into the forest.

* * *

Several minutes later young Kratos and Lloyd emerged from the forest and into a large clearing. Kratos was taken aback when he saw the two-story house in the middle of the clearing. Why would someone live in a place like this, so far away from the town? He followed Lloyd up to the house, taking the sight in. Then he spotted the gravestone, lying only a few feet away from one of the outer walls of the building. He saw the sword with the curved orange blade lying across the grave, resting on the cobbles like a flower from a mourner. 

"Hey!" shouted Lloyd, who was at the door to the house, "Are you coming?"

Kratos said nothing, but caught up with Lloyd, who opened the door and walked into the house. "Dad!" Lloyd called, "I'm home!"

Dirk, who had been working at his forge, looked up, "Ah, so ya are," said the dwarf, grinning under his thick beard, "It's good ta see ya. And," he noticed Kratos, "Who's this?"

Kratos stayed in the doorway as Lloyd approached his foster father. The stare he was getting from Dirk seemed slightly hostile, and he didn't want to overstep his bounds. At least, not with a dwarf who was holding a red-hot iron bar in a pair of steel tongs. Normally bounds were something Kratos ignored, or threw at other people, but not when molten metal was involved. Did the dwarf think he was the other Kratos, the one Noishe had described?

"He's just a friend," started Lloyd, "He turned up lost in Iselia the other day. He's staying with Professor Sage for now."

Dirk looked back at Kratos, "What's yer name?"

"Uh… Rusty, sir," lied young Kratos quickly, in an effort to disassociate himself from the other Kratos as much as possible.

"I see," said Dirk, briefly returning to his work, "Well, if yer with Lloyd, then yer welcome here."

"…Thanks," said Kratos, finally walking into the house. He looked around: everything seemed so… cozy, in a weird way. He had never before actually met a dwarf. The closest he had ever gotten were vague stories, the kind that normally floated around Libra. He wondered if all dwarfs were like Dirk. "Do you live out here all by yourself?" asked Kratos.

"Mostly yeah," said Dirk, not looking up from his work, "Ever since Lloyd struck out on 'is own. It's been very quiet ever since then."

"Hey!" objected Lloyd, "It's not like I made a lot of noise or anything!"

"Ya mean ya were always quiet when ya were hungry, when ya did yer homework, an' whenever ya had ta feed Noishe on a rainy day?"

Lloyd grumbled objections, looking resentful. Dirk laughed, "I do kinda miss that," he admitted, bending over his work, "Hearing ya 'round the house."

Kratos watched at the two continued to talk, as if they were blood family. He felt strangely hollow watching them. He was looking in on something he never had, and never would. It was a lot like when he saw Yuan with his family. He felt too empty to be jealous…

He turned and walked to the door. "Where're you going?" asked Lloyd.

"Just outside," said Kratos, opening the door, "I'll just wait until out here until you're ready to head back."

"But – "

"I'll just wait." He left, closing the front door behind him.

Now that they were alone, Dirk put his latest project in the forge and turned to face Lloyd. He knew his foster father wanted to talk; he only ever set down a project he was working on if he needed to talk to Lloyd about something important.

"What's the matter Lloyd?" asked Dirk. Dwarfs didn't believe in subtlety.

Lloyd shook his head, "Everything's just fine Dad!" he said with a false cheer.

Dirk sighed and walked over to the table in the middle of the room. "Come an' sit down for a minute," said Dirk, "I can tell when yer lyin'," he added, when Lloyd opened his mouth to insist that nothing was wrong, "Yer friend can wait. He doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry."

Lloyd obeyed, sitting down next to the dwarf. "What's eatin' at ya lad?" asked Dirk, radiating fatherly concern, "Does it have anythin' ta do with Kratos?"

Dirk knew he had hit the nail on the head when Lloyd wouldn't look him in the eye. Dirk put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder, "I know you must miss 'im," said Dirk, "I won't ask ya ta stop missing 'im, and I won't try ta replace 'im. He loved ya very much, just remember that Lloyd. He loved ya."

_He has a poor way a' showin' it,_ thought Dirk, deeming that his thoughts would not help Lloyd, _Goin__'__ away an' leaving Lloyd. What kind a' parent knowingly abandons their own kid?_

"Thanks Dad," said Lloyd after a long pause, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Dwarven Vow #4," said Dirk as Lloyd stood up.

"Do not depend on others. Walk on your own two legs," recited Lloyd, "Yeah, I know."

"By the way Lloyd," said Dirk, standing up as well, "Just who's this 'Rusty' fella?"

It took Lloyd a moment to remember who Dirk was talking about. He decided to ask Kratos why he didn't give his real name later. "I… don't really know," admitted Lloyd.

Dirk walked back to his forge, "He don't seem like a bad person," he said. And that was that.

Lloyd left the house and looked around, but didn't see Kratos immediately. Then he spotted the boy standing by his mother's grave, looking at the headstone and the Flamberge.

Kratos looked up when Lloyd walked over to him. "Who's grave is this?" Kratos asked. It wasn't a demand, but a quiet question. He seemed to be able to tell that Lloyd had some connection with the deceased buried there.

"…My Mom," said Lloyd coming up to stand next to Kratos, "She died when I was three. Dad – Dirk I mean – found us and Noishe in the forest. She was hurt, and she asked him to help me."

Kratos tilted his head so that his long auburn hair hid his face. "I'm sorry," he said, after a pause.

"No, it's okay," said Lloyd, "I mean, I miss her… but I know she loved me and wanted to protect me…" he trailed off, unable to think of a way to finish his sentence.

"What happened to your Dad?" asked Kratos, looking back at Lloyd, "I mean, was he around when Dirk found your Mom?"

Lloyd fidgeted. It was odd, being asked about his father by a younger version of him. "No," said Lloyd, "He thought we had died. I never even met him until just a few months ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah," said Lloyd, "It's really complicated… but at first he didn't want me to know that he was my Dad, but then I found out, kinda by accident. At first I couldn't believe it, and I didn't even call him 'dad'. But then, I guess I just got used to it. Then he left… See, he thought that he had to do something to make up for some bad stuff he did. But to do that, he had to go somewhere really far away. I don't know if I'm ever going to see him again. That's his sword," Lloyd added, pointing at the Flamberge, "He gave it to me before he left. It just felt right to leave it here at Mom's grave, so they could kind of be together again, you know?"

Kratos gave an absentminded nod, and looked back down at the grave and the sword. "If it helps at all," he said, after a pause, "I can kinda sympathize. See, I'm…" Kratos paused, as if having second thoughts, "I'm a bastard."

"Huh?" Lloyd blinked, "You're saying you're a jerk? What's that got to do with your parents?"

Kratos rolled his eyes, "That's _not_ what I meant," he said. He turned away from Lloyd and addressed the world in general, "Why did I even bother trying to confide in a dimwit like you anyway?"

"H-hey!" protested Lloyd hotly, "Stop poking fun at me!"

Kratos sighed, "All right, all right," he turned back to Lloyd, "Do you know what the _actual_ definition of 'bastard' is?"

"…No," admitted Lloyd reluctantly.

"A bastard is a child who's born to unmarried parents," explained Kratos, "I don't know who my Dad was. I don't even know if Mom knows. If she does know then she hasn't told anyone, not even me." Kratos looked back at Anna's grave and continued, "I don't know if it was just a one-night stand, or if it had been a long relationship that turned sour when my father found out Mom was pregnant or what. I never had a father, and I don't know what I would do if I ever met him."

"Well, what about the rest of your family?" asked Lloyd, "Don't you have any aunts or uncles or anything?"

Kratos gave a derisive snort, "'Course I do, technically," he said scathingly, "But they all hate me, and that isn't an exaggeration. They've all said to my face that I'm nothing more to them than my mother's mistake. To them it was bad enough that Mom was only eighteen, but it got even worse when she refused to reveal who my father was. I'm the shame of my whole family. They couldn't care less what happens to me. The only people who have really been a family to me were Yuan and his family."

"Yuan?"

"Not like the guy who was chasing me," Kratos added, "He's completely different. Yuan and his whole family are half-elves, so they're ostracized by the rest of Libra. We met pretty much by accident, and we've been best friends ever since. His family – his parents, grandma, and a sister – all welcomed me as if I was one of their own. I owe them a lot."

A contented silence followed Kratos' words. The two boys stared down at Anna's grave.

"Hey Lloyd?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for listening to me whine about my life. And…I…" Kratos fidgeted, "I really am sorry I broke your nose before. You're… not such a bad guy after all."

Lloyd stared at young Kratos. He hadn't expected an apology. "Um… don't worry about it!" said Lloyd with a grin, "Professor Sage fixed it right up!"

"…You're still a dumbass though." Teased the auburn-haired boy.

Kratos smiled.

Lloyd stared. He could only think of one time when his father had smiled at anything. Young Kratos seemed so genuinely happy, when his father was almost never happy about anything. _They really are completely different people_.

Kratos noticed that Lloyd seemed upset and his smile vanished, "Are you okay Lloyd?"

"I was just thinking," started Lloyd, "You… look a lot like my Dad,"

"Huh?" young Kratos gave Lloyd a stunned look, "So then, your Dad is the other Kratos?"

Lloyd nodded, "Yeah," he said quietly, "I thought you were him when we first met in Flanoir."

Kratos said nothing for a very long time. _What can anyone possibly say after something like that?_ "You shouldn't let him get you down."

"Huh?" Lloyd looked up.

"Your Dad leaving you, you shouldn't let that get you down," continued young Kratos, "I mean, he left you, and you have every right to be upset about that. Just don't let that eat you alive. Live your own life, you know?"

Lloyd stared, then he broke out in a wide grin, "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good," Kratos said, "Now let's head back, before your friends start to wonder if we've gotten lost, or eaten by wolves or something."

"You're not worried about getting eaten are you?"

"I had… a brush with the local wildlife. I'd just rather not have to go through that again."

"You're _scared_ aren't you?"

"Shut up Lloyd."

* * *

Spork: I bet by now you can tell what my opinion of Kratos' choice to leave at the end of the game was. 

Kratos: What are you talking about? I'm right here!

Spork: Ignorance is bliss, my friend. And just for the record, I love Dirk, I don't think he gets enough credit. I mean, he had to put up with Lloyd ages three to seventeen. He probably had to put up with The Question.

Kratos: (-gets bored and wanders away-)

Spork: Review please, while I go and recapture my muse...

**Edited 1/1/08** - Cleaned up.


	7. Distant Star

Holy Spork: I'm back! Again! This chapter was really easy to write, hence the faster-than-normal update. It's pretty angsty... but, yeah. Probably no one cares. Oh, and I recaptured my muse! But he can't be here right now, young Kratos isn't allowed to see this chapter.

A Nearby Closet: HELP! I'M BEING HELD AGAINST MY WILL! SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM THE CRAZY LADY PLEEEEASE!

Spork: Please pay no attention to the screaming closet. Move along folks...

Oh, and I don't own Tales of Symphonia, its characters, plot line, or locations. Meh.

* * *

Chapter VII: Distant Star 

Maps and charts littered the desk, all marked with black and red ink. Compasses and other such objects lay scattered with the paper, as if thrown in anger. Yuan was sitting in his swivel chair, staring up at the ceiling, exasperated and frustrated. How could one _boy_ be so hard to find? How come, with all the resources at the Renegade's disposal, he couldn't find young Kratos?

Part of it, he supposed, was that he didn't have a clue where the boy could have gone. Young Kratos didn't have a home, friends, or family in this time period. He could have gone _anywhere_. Yuan tried to remember more of his old friend: what kinds of places did he like? Where was he most comfortable?

Yuan couldn't come up with anything.

He pounded his fist against his cluttered desk out of pure frustration, and stood up to pace the length of his office. What effect could young Kratos' displacement have on the Timeline? Nothing seemed to have changed, or not yet anyway. He started to seriously wonder what would happen if Kratos had simply ceased to exist at the age of seventeen.

The first thing he could think of was that Lloyd would never exist, and that would mean that maybe Mithos would not have been stopped. Or maybe the Renegades and Cruxis would have simply continued to fight until one or the other fell. Maybe Mithos would never have been stopped without Lloyd.

Yuan couldn't risk that. Not after everything that had been sacrificed to stop Mithos and Cruxis.

He fell back into his office chair, fatigued and in deep need of something caffeinated. He had to find young Kratos soon, lest something go awry with the Timeline, but how? He knew Kratos better than anyone, and he couldn't find the kid. He tried to think, who else knew Kratos well? Lloyd was a possibility, but he didn't want to get the boy involved more than necessary; he didn't want to have to explain why his father had returned to Aselia, but not come back at the same time. It might be too painful for him.

_So, barring Lloyd, who else knows Kratos well, as a person?_ Wondered Yuan, still staring at the ceiling of his office. Kratos was a private person, keeping his thoughts and feelings mostly to himself, but there had to be someone else he willingly confided in who wasn't dead. Who knew Kratos better than Yuan, who had been his best friend for millennia? Who?

Who…

* * *

A million stars glittered, cold and eternal. On Aselia they seemed like guardians, gazing down at the world below, like a parent watching a sleeping child. Now they seemed indifferent to him, almost hostile to his very existence. Though certainly the mere fact that he still lived after thousands of years certainly was cause for others to be hostile toward him… 

Kratos Aurion, the ancient seraph, stared up at the glass ceiling of Welgaia above him, at the far away lights of the stars. He watched as they fell past him, as Derris-Kharlan continued to fall through space, without purpose or destination. The mass of mana was a lot like him now: purposeless and alone in a strange place without any hope of returning to the planet he had left behind, dwindling until he was nothing but a distant star to those he left behind.

Ever since leaving Aselia, he had to consciously keep his thoughts away from those he left behind, his son in particular. He didn't want to remember. He didn't deserve to. He had lived his unnaturally long life making mistake after mistake after mistake. He had exiled himself on Derris-Kharlan so he would never hurt anyone else ever again, and to atone for his infinite sins. He wanted to forget everything and everyone he had left behind, because then he would stop hurting. He had even considered removing the Key Crest from his Exsphere, allow it to slowly devour his soul, so he would never feel, never love, and never hurt anyone ever again.

But he couldn't. He had to stay conscious of himself, he had to stay sane otherwise the angels of Derris-Kharlan might do _anything_. They might just float in space forever, or they could decide to return to Aselia to avenge their former master, Mithos Yggdrasill. No, Kratos was not allowed to simply let himself go, to eradicate his consciousness or end his life.

No, the price of ensuring that Cruxis would never again return to Aselia was him, Kratos. From birth to now and into the future he would only ever hurt those around him, forever denied any lasting happiness. Surely his whole _life_ must be some kind of cruel, cosmic joke.

He had long ago accepted this as the truth.

And yet, some little voice he thought had been smothered long ago continued to sob _'Why me?'_

He tore his eyes away from the far-off lights and quickly scanned the scene around him. The other angels were gathering Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals from every corner of the comet, just as he had ordered. He was planning to jettison the whole lot into space as soon as the other angels gathered them. He himself had gathered many of the gems after lengthy searches, carefully making sure that he kept his last promise to his son…

Kratos closed his eyes, clearing his mind of all thoughts of Lloyd. As soon as he composed himself, he unfurled his shining blue wings and with a leap rose into the air. The ground fell away as he gained altitude, and rushed under him as he flew though the city. Flight was probably the only angelic ability that he cherished in any way. He recalled that he had always dreamed of flying, even when he was very young…

The angel reached his destination, and landed gracefully, folding his wings as he stepped onto the warp pad. He was quickly taken to the inside of Vinheim, Mithos' old castle. He continued walking along a path set in his mind taking no heed of any of the castle's other occupants. They did not interest him.

He arrived at his private chambers, walking in and closing the door behind him. He needed a moment to think on his own, making sure that no one would come to ask anything of him. He walked over to a wooden desk and sat down, taking a small amount of comfort in this true solitude. Soon all of the Expheres and Cruxis Crystals would be purged from Derris-Kharlan. Then what? There would be nothing left to distract him from what he had left behind. He still had to lead Cruxis, but how could he do that if his heart, mind, and soul were forever wandering back to Aselia? Without apparently thinking, he reached over to a little trinket that was resting on his desk and picked it up to examine it.

It had once been a small metal figurine of some kind of bird – an owl if he recalled correctly – with its wings spread. It had been severely damaged by the passing of years. The metal had corroded, so many of the fine details were gone, and both legs and half of the left hand wing had broken off. He had rediscovered the little figurine locked in a desk drawer when he had returned to Derris-Kharlan for his exile. He couldn't remember where he had gotten it, when he got it, or why. He only remembered that somehow it was _important_ so he had never gotten rid of it. He seemed to have possessed the thing since... forever. Sometimes he would forget about it, but then he would _always _rediscover it later. For some reason, just looking at it gave him some comfort, some peace of mind.

There was a knock at the door, and Kratos sighed. It had to be important if he was being disturbed. "Come on in," he said, without looking up. He could hear the newcomer open the door and walk in. He could even hear the rustling of cloth as the lesser angel bowed to him.

"Lord Aurion,"

Kratos looked up at the lesser angel that had called his name. "Yes?"

"We have received a message from Lord Yuan," stated the angel in a monotone, "It is on an emergency line. Lord Yuan says that it is urgent."

_Why would Yuan see fit to contact me now?_ Wondered Kratos. "Very well," he said, standing up, "I'll see to it." With a short hesitation, he put the bird figurine in a pocket, and then proceeded to the communications room, which was conveniently located elsewhere in Vinheim. Most of the magi-technology devices had long since ceased to work, either because their functions were redundant or useless, or because the distance from Aselia made them ineffective.

There was, however, one hologram projector that still worked. It was weak, but could transmit messages over great distances, namely, between Derris-Kharlan and the Renegade bases. Kratos had installed it shortly after his departure, should Yuan have any need to contact him. He had not thought that he would actually need to use it.

Currently, there was a low quality full-body projection of Yuan, his arms crossed staring out at Kratos.

"_I was wondering when you'd answer_," stated Yuan, his voice given a metallic sound by the poor quality of the device, "_I've been trying to reach you for some time_."

"Then I apologize for not answering sooner," said Kratos, going through the formality stiffly, "What has happened?"

"_To business then_," Yuan sighed, the noise coming out like pure static, "_The Renegades were developing some experimental technology, and something went wrong_…"

"I hardly see how I can be of any help," stated Kratos blandly, "I'm thousands of miles away."

"_About that_…" Yuan started, "_Things have become rather complicated here_._ This link between Aselia and Derris-Kharlan is feeble at best_._ I know there's an emergency warp pad in Welgaia, and right now we need you here_."

"I hardly see why that is," said Kratos, "If your only problem is a technical malfunction."

"_It's become more than that_," said Yuan, apparently becoming a little desperate, "_And only you might be able to remedy it_."

"No, Yuan," said Kratos coldly, "Unless it is a danger to the continued survival of Aselia, then I see no need to leave Derris-Kharlan."

Yuan said nothing for a moment. He knew what Kratos was thinking: he didn't want to have to confront Lloyd after leaving him, and Yuan did not wish to hold it against his old friend. However, that didn't stop him from saying, "_This could potentially endanger your son's existence, and even the world's at worst_."

Kratos glared at Yuan, angry that he had _again_ tried to use Lloyd to manipulate him. However, Kratos failed to detect any lie in Yuan's projected face or metallic voice. Kratos sighed, and crossed his arms

"All right," said the seraph, his face and voice betraying no emotion, "I'm listening."

* * *

Spork: (-is giggling in an evil way-) 

Young Kratos: (-breaks out of closet-) FREEDOM! What'd I miss?

Spork: Everything. The chapter's over.

Kratos: What? Now I have no idea what she's plotting! NOOOOO!

Spork: Please review.

**Edited 1/1/08** - Cleaned up, added a little more description.


	8. Long Chain Of Events

Holy Spork: I have a completely legitimate excuse for not updating in a month! I swear!

Young Kratos: Don't ask what it is or she'll never stop babbling about it! (-mutters 'I've heard more than enough about her school play to last a lifetime.' to himself-)

Spork: This chapter isn't one of my best, because life's been busy recently. So if this chapter seems like it's been written by someone who is suffering from sleep deprivation, hasn't eaten anything other than chips, pizza, and soda for three weeks, and whose body is now composed of five percent splinters... there you go.

Kratos: Tales of Symphonia and its characters, locations, and plot line are property of Bandai-Namco, not Holy Spork.

* * *

Chapter VIII: Long Chain Of Events 

Colette and Genis were waiting by the gate to the Iselia forest. Noishe was lying on the ground a few feet away from them, his eyes closed, taking a nap. Genis and Colette didn't have to wait long for Lloyd and Kratos to return. The angel and the half-elf's heightened hearing quickly picked up the approaching boys' voices, though it took them a moment to realize that the other two were… quarreling.

"For the last time, I am _not_ afraid of dogs!"

"But you were really nervous around Noishe!"

"That's because he jumped on me and almost bit my head off!"

"C'mon, just admit it, you have caninephobia."

"That's not a word Lloyd."

"Well, it should be!"

"Idiot."

"Hey!"

Before the situation could degenerate any further, Lloyd and young Kratos emerged from the woods, glaring at each other.

"Did you have fun?" asked Colette with a cheerful smile.

The two other teens looked up. "Yeah," said Kratos shrugging, "It was okay."

This seemed to exhaust that particular conversation topic. Then Colette said, "It's past lunch-time, so does anyone want food? "

"HELL YEAH!" cheered Lloyd and Kratos at the same time. Then they glared at one another again.

"Don't copy me!" they snarled at one another.

"It's scary how alike they are…" muttered Genis.

"It just means they're good friends!" chirped Colette, as the two 'good friends' progressed from growling to shouting at each other.

* * *

Lunch would have been relatively uneventful if Raine not decided to cook it. So the group of unfortunates was forced to consume charcoal and unmentionable green wobbly things. Kratos had commented on the latter, earning a stinging slap from the schoolteacher. After that he ate the unidentifiable stuff without spoken complaint. 

Afterwards, young Kratos became fidgety, tired of the silence that was quickly becoming a vacuum. "Um…" Kratos searched desperately for a conversation topic, to at the very least get his mind away from the mysterious substances he had just consumed, "…Are you all from around here? Iselia, I mean."

"All of us grew up here," said Genis, trying to take his mind away from Raine's cooking as well, "Lloyd lived with Dirk, Colette with her family, and Raine and I lived in our house… until it burned down."

"It burned down? What happened?"

"Well," mumbled the half-elf, "The Desians came and burned most of Iselia down."

Kratos blinked, "Desians?" he asked, "Who are they? Why'd they want to burn the town down?"

The locals stared at Kratos, who was still waiting for an explanation. Then Kratos frowned, annoyed that everyone else was still staring at him as if he was an idiot, "Why don't we pretend for a minute that I'm from the past, and that I have no idea what the Desians are?" Said the boy with a certain amount of sarcasm.

"The Desians were an organization consisting mostly of half-elves," explained Raine, though her voice wavered a little at 'half-elves', "Their purpose was to create Exspheres and to awaken the Chosen's Cruxis Crystal by putting her life in jeopardy."

Kratos looked blank. "Um… Exspheres are these little gems that awaken people's dormant powers," explained Lloyd, "The Chosen – Colette was once the Chosen – was supposed to save the world by breaking all the seals, and – " Lloyd stopped when Kratos looked even more confused.

"The world used to be split into two different worlds," said Lloyd, deciding to try again, "The worlds were called Tethe'alla and Sylvarant…"

So Lloyd and the others told Kratos about what had happened since the end of the Kharlan War, explaining how the worlds had been split apart and the Chosen system established as the words vied for mana. Then they started to tell him an edited version of the story of their adventures. By unspoken consensus, they decided it was best to cut out the older Kratos from most of the story. They said he was Lloyd's father, and that he had to eventually leave, but that was it.

For the rest of the story they were truthful. They told young Kratos about the end of the Kharlan War, and the Chosen system set up afterwards. They told him about Cruxis, and Mithos' plans for an Age of Lifeless Beings. They told him about their travels between the worlds, their quests for the seals and the Summon Spirits. They told him about Mithos' defeat.

Kratos listened intently, interrupting only to ask questions when he didn't understand some part of Lloyd's story. Until Lloyd started explaining what Cruxis was. Kratos seemed to be particularly interested when Lloyd had explained how Cruxis was an organization of angels.

"What do you mean angels?" interrupted Kratos, "You mean like, _real_ angels?"

"Yeah," confirmed Lloyd with a nod, "We didn't believe it either at first."

"What happened to them?" asked Kratos, "The angels, I mean. Where'd they all go?"

"Cruxis was destroyed," said Lloyd solemnly, "Derris-Kharlan, their base I guess you could call it, is gone."

"Oh…" Kratos slumped, as if disappointed by this news.

"But Colette and me are angels!"

Kratos rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious!" said Lloyd. When Kratos showed no signs of believing him, Lloyd pulled out his huge, shining, blue-green wings. Kratos almost went into cardiac arrest.

"WHOA!" Kratos' eyes went wide at the sight of the mana-made wings, "You're really – That's amazing!" exclaimed Kratos, who had never before even seen a real angel, "Can you fly?"

Lloyd grinned, taking some pleasure in the awe he seemed to be inspiring, "Yup!" he said cheerfully.

Kratos was completely amazed. He had never thought he would ever meet a real angel! And they could fly! He had wondered for a long time if maybe angels could only fly in stories. He certainly had never been given any evidence to the contrary until now.

"When I think of angels, you aren't what springs to mind." Said Kratos.

Lloyd grinned his wide, goofy grin, "I get that a lot."

Lloyd continued with his story, finally finishing with, "…That was four months ago. Now Colette and me are traveling the world, searching for Exspheres and destroying them."

"Raine and I are also traveling," added Genis, "We're trying to end discrimination between races peacefully."

"That's pretty ambitious." Commented Kratos.

"We do what little we can," said Raine, "Anyway, we should contact Yuan and the Renegades about you soon."

"Huh? Why?" demanded Kratos. He wasn't comfortable with calling for the people who had chased him before.

"Perhaps if Yuan was able to bring you here in the first place," started Raine, "Then maybe he can send you back to your home."

Kratos opened his mouth to protest to being handed over to the Renegades, but someone else spoke up first. "But Kratos hasn't seen the Martel Temple yet!" chirped Colette, who had rather enjoyed her role as tour guide.

"What?" Kratos blinked at this sudden change of topic.

Colette grabbed the unfortunate boy by the arm and started to drag him away, "W-where are you taking me now?!" he demanded, unable to break away from her surprisingly strong grip.

The others watched in a slightly horrified silence as Colette, yet again, dragged Kratos away. "Do you think they'll be all right on their own?" asked Genis.

"Probably not," admitted Lloyd nervously. "C'mon Genis, let's go after them!"

"Okay!"

Raine watched as the children vacated the room. She sighed. She supposed it wouldn't hurt to wait a few more hours.

* * *

_Later that day_… 

Sheena wandered into Iselia, and looked around, wondering where her friends were. She had heard rumors that Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and Raine were all in Iselia. She had also heard rumors that somehow Kratos had returned as well. This had sparked her interest. She figured that either one of two things were happening: One, Kratos had returned from Derris-Kharlan to warn them about some kind of imminent danger to the well being and continued survival of Aselia. If this were the case, then that meant she, as the only one currently in the world who could call upon the powers of the Summon Spirits, would be needed.

Or, if that _wasn't_ the case, then that probably meant that there was some kind of reunion in the works. If that was the case, then she wanted to be there! She wanted to be there for the inevitable party and, obviously, not for the Zelos.

_Definitely_ not for the Zelos… That stupid, womanizing, jackass Chosen just couldn't take a hint...

The ninja walked through the village with all the confidence of a hero, scanning the buildings and the streets for her friends. _Maybe I should go ahead and drop in at Colette's_, she thought, just as she walked up the road to Colette's house. She knocked on the door, which Colette's grandmother, Phaidra, answered. Phaidra told Sheena that her friends were out visiting the Martel Temple, and that she didn't know when they would come back. Sheena thanked the old woman, and then headed out in the direction of the gate to the road that led to the temple.

_What could they be doing at the Martel Temple?_ Wondered Sheena, slightly worried,_ Maybe something _has_ really gone wrong._

Her fears were diminished a little, when she found Raine waiting by the gate. The older woman turned when she heard Sheena approach. "I didn't expect you to come here," said the half-elf, though she didn't seem displeased, "What has brought you to Iselia?"

"I heard that you, Genis, Colette, and Lloyd had all come back to Iselia," said Sheena, not mentioning her sources, "And something about Kratos coming back too. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay."

"Everything is fine, for the most part," said Raine reassuringly.

"For the most part?" Sheena asked, "What do you mean by 'for the most part'?"

Raine sighed, "You'll see when Lloyd and the others get back from the temple."

"What are they doing up at the temple anyway?" asked Sheena.

"Colette wanted to show Kratos the temple," explained Raine, "Genis and Lloyd went with them. They should be back soon."

"But… I thought Kratos has already been to the temple," said a confused Sheena, "So why – "

That was when something purple and red sped through the gate and shouted, "HA! I WIN!"

Lloyd weakly jogged up to the gate and promptly fell on his face. "Dammit…" he moaned into the grass, "You… cheated."

Young Kratos walked over to the fallen Lloyd, a mocking grin on his face, "You shouldn't have fallen for it," he taunted, "Sucker!"

Lloyd looked up sourly at young Kratos, "You still… cheated…"

"You didn't really think I was going to start _after_ I counted to three?"

Sheena stared at the scene, utterly confused. Something inside her head refused to connect her image of Kratos, who was one of the most mature people she had ever met, with the person who was currently teasing Lloyd. Either Kratos had changed drastically, or the Apocalypse was approaching.

Raine, on the other hand, just sighed, "Boys…"

Sheena looked at the half-elf, "What… just happened?"

Colette and Genis arrived and walked over to see that Lloyd was okay. Raine carefully directed Sheena away from the gate and the children, before saying, "As you can tell, things have become a little… strange recently."

"Well, yeah," said Sheena, looking back over her shoulder at the children, who now seemed to be arguing about Kratos' underhanded methods, "Since when did Kratos act like that?"

This was when the group of children finally noticed Sheena. Their reaction was enthusiastic. "Hi Sheena!" chirped Colette, "It's good to see you again!"

Kratos then noticed Sheena for the first time, as he and the others went over to join Sheena and Raine. He, like most other males of his approximate age, took notice of certain things. Then, because of a wonderful substance called testosterone, teenage Kratos whistled, and said to Sheena, "Wow, I bet you're popular, aren't you?"

Raine, Lloyd, Genis, and Colette watched in stunned silence as the ninja beat the auburn-haired boy to a bloody pulp. When it was over, Sheena was standing over her prone victim, muttering, "Stupid, thoughtless, jackass…" then she shouted to the sky, "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE MATURE ONE!"

"I think… I'll never be able to stand up again," whined Kratos, who was still on the ground.

"Um, who wants to tell her?" said Lloyd, still staring at the slightly bleeding lump that was young Kratos.

"Tell me what?" the ninja asked, looking around at the others, confused.

Raine sighed, it was time for an adult to intervene, "The Kratos you just attacked… is not the same one that helped us save the world."

Shenna blinked. "Huh?"

"Lloyd found him in Flanoir, apparently being chased by Yuan's men," explained Raine, as Kratos slowly got back to his feet, "After a long chain of events he ended up here with us. We were actually planning to see Yuan about it today… but then Lloyd decided to show Kratos the Martel Temple – "

"But he's seen the rest of the town Professor Sage!" argued Lloyd, "Besides, nothing bad would happen if Kratos stayed a little longer!"

"We still need to contact the Renegades," said Raine, ignoring Lloyd's interruption, "And as soon as possible."

"But…" Sheena paused, "I saw a group of Renegades just south of the village when I flew here on my Rheiard."

Everyone else stared at Sheena, as they contemplated the implications of her statement. "It would make sense that the Renegades would be searching for Kratos…" thought Raine aloud.

Lloyd turned to Kratos… to find that the other boy was no longer there. Lloyd looked around, from the gate he had run through, to the roads that ran through Iselia. "Hey, where'd Kratos go?" he said, when he realized that Kratos was no longer in the immediate area.

The rest of the crew looked around as well. With an unspoken agreement, they split up to look for the missing Kratos.

* * *

Kratos had bolted as soon as Sheena had said that there was a group of Renegades. He didn't want to be captured by the Renegades… whoever they were. He didn't want to stick around long enough to find out. 

He ran through a thicket of trees, heading as far away from the village as fast as he could. Other than getting away from Iselia he had no plans. And like all poorly thought out plans, he very quickly ran into problems.

Still running, Kratos looked back over his shoulder, making sure no one was following him. He didn't want Lloyd or the others to come after him, as that would draw attention to him, and make him easier to find for the Renegades. Unfortunately, this meant that he was no longer looking where he was going.

He collided with something soft, which immediately cursed at him. Kratos turned to see a Renegade, who seemed, rather understandably, upset. The Renegade had three sword-wielding buddies, who didn't hesitate to draw their weapons. Kratos backed away a step, backing into a fifth Renegade. Kratos spun around and found himself in the middle of a circle of Renegades. He was trapped.

"Um…" he hesitated, "…Parley?"

The first Renegade Kratos ran into shook his head, "That's pirates kid,"

* * *

Spork: Don't ask why I shoved in the Pirates of the Caribbean reference. It was one of those 'it seemed like a good idea at the time' things. And I'm too lazy to change it now. 

Oh and a fear of dogs isn't caninephobia, it's cynophobia according to Wikipedia. But that site is only semi-reliable, if at all.

To my American readers, happy Turkey Day!

My muse has been dragged off now, so there isn't a whole lot left to say.

So there it ends. Yeah. The next chapter will be better. Promise. Please review.

**Edited 1/1/08: Cleaned up and changed some dialogue I didn't like.**


	9. All Our Problems

'Ello, I'm back. I'm updating this really fast because 1) I need to make up for my month-long period of non-updatingness, and 2) I have a super-secret PLAN, but for my super-secret PLAN to work, I need to get up to chapter ten before the first of December. Hehehehe...

Because my muse has been dragged off by the Renegades, I'm stuck doing the disclaimer again. Tales of Symphonia and its characters, locations, and plot line are the property solely of Bandai-Namco. You see, if I owned the game, then the character models would have been more realistic, because it's hard to take a chibi seriously.

* * *

Chapter IX: All Our Problems 

It was dark. There was nothing.

Then came feeling, and sounds…

His mind wandered back to reality.

Young Kratos stirred, his mind slowly trickling back to consciousness. He was lying on something hard, and his mind was fuzzy, as if his head were filled with cotton balls. There was something cold on his right wrist, but he didn't have the energy to care. He groaned, and then memories of the moment before he lost consciousness flooded back into his mind.

He opened his eyes and sat bolt upright. He was in what looked like a jail cell. Two people in red uniforms and steel helmets looked at him though the bars.

"Look at that Joe," said one Renegade, "He woke up."

The Renegade identified as Joe grunted something that sounded like "No crap Sherlock," before turning away from his prisoner to stare into space.

Realizing that what he was about to say next was terribly cliché, Kratos asked, with some reluctance, "Where the hell am I?"

"The Triet Base," said the first unnamed Renegade, almost gloatingly.

"You're not supposed to _tell_ him, Ron" muttered Joe.

"Okay… where's that?" continued Kratos, hoping the dimmer of the two guards would answer.

"In the Triet Desert," said the first guard, identified as Ron, "Didn't you go to school kid?"

Kratos decided that now was the time to stop pestering the guards. He didn't want _them_ asking him questions. He sat down in a corner of the cell, hoping that an opportunity to escape would come, and come soon. He took a moment to check his pockets to see if maybe he still had something with him he could use to escape. He quickly discovered that both his knife and his harmonica (_Did they think I was going to turn it into a lock pick?_ Thought Kratos sourly upon discovering this) were gone. Then he remembered feeling something cold on his hand before waking up.

Kratos looked down at his right wrist. On it was what looked like half a handcuff, made of some dark material that he couldn't identify. When he touched it the metal felt cold, as if the substance was actively trying to suck the heat out of his body. He tried to slip it off his hand, but couldn't get it off. He quickly gave up, deciding that it wasn't worth the effort. It didn't seem to serve any purpose anyway.

Meanwhile the guard named Joe wondered if he could be court-martialed for murdering the twit he had to stand guard with.

* * *

Lloyd, Colette, Genis, Raine, Sheena, and Noishe arrived at the Triet base. After returning their Rhearids to the wing packs, they gathered in a small group just outside the walls of the building. 

"So we're going to charge in and bust Kratos out of there right?" said Lloyd of the Tiny Attention Span.

"No," said Raine severely. Lloyd deflated at this, "We're going to go speak with Yuan first. We have to make sure that he _has_ captured Kratos. Once we do that, then we will try to persuade Yuan to release him."

Lloyd looked a little disappointed at the lack of real action in this plan, but nodded anyway. Noishe barked his approval.

They went inside the base. At least that had been the plan until they were stopped.

"You cannot enter," said a stony guard, with the monotone used by guards to tell people to go away.

"We need to talk to Yuan!" said Lloyd.

"Yeah," said Sheena, "It's important!"

"You cannot enter." Repeated the guard.

Noishe growled with impatience. The guard looked down warily at the animal. A second guard looked over warily at his partner, curious to see if the other Renegade was going to be eaten by a big green dog.

"I will see if Lord Yuan wishes to speak with you," said the guard that was having the staring contest with Noishe. The guard turned and after pressing a button on the side of the door, walked inside.

Before the door shut again, Noishe bolted inside after the guard. Lloyd called out the protozoan's name, but Noishe didn't listen, and Lloyd watched as the doors to the base shut tight, Noishe vanishing from sight.

The remaining guard swore, "Damn dog!"

* * *

"You think we really have to stay here all day?" 

The guard previously identified as Joe sighed, "That's the point of guarding."

"The kid isn't going anywhere!" whined the guard named Ron.

Young Kratos had been forced to listen to the argument between his two guards, which had not changed much at all in the past hour. It had been funny for the first five minutes, then it became boring, and then just really godsdamned annoying. And they just wouldn't _shut up_!

"He's just a kid!" muttered Ron, "What's he gonna do?"

"Don't you remember the last time a 'kid' escaped?" asked Joe.

"Well… yeah, it was that guy in red, Floyd or something?"

"Shut up."

"I mean, our shift is over soon!"

Kratos started listening to the conversation. This might be useful to him.

"So we wait here until the next shift arrives." Said Joe.

"You're no fun Joe." Pouted the other guard.

"And you're immature." Said Joe.

Kratos, deciding that nothing useful was going to come from listening to the stupid bickering anymore, went back to trying to sleep. His efforts were unfortunately in vain. The quarreling didn't end.

"Yeah, when my shift is over, I'm going on break!" asserted Ron.

"Good for you." Muttered Joe.

A third Renegade ran into the jail, and panting for breath as if he had run three miles, approached the two named guards and said, "You're needed elsewhere."

"What's happened sir?" asked Joe.

"A wild animal has gotten inside the building and is causing some amount of havoc," said Renegade number three, "The kid ain't going anywhere, so I need you two to help me round the animal up."

"Yessir," said Joe smartly. Ron gave Joe a smug look. The guards left.

Kratos couldn't believe his luck, as he watched his guards leave. He broke out into a wide smile. This was his chance to escape!

He stood up and walked over to the door to inspect the lock. He knew a little about lock picking, but he had never been very good at it. He didn't think he would be able to do anything with this lock. After making this observation he heard a noise further down the hall. They were footsteps.

Kratos peered out from between the bars of his cell. He heard the footsteps but couldn't see who was approaching. Was it another guard? Was it that blue-haired guy who had chased him in Flanoir? But instead of being faced with a Renegade as he had expected, or even a biped, it was Noishe that trotted down the hall and turned his head to look at Kratos. There was a key ring in the protozoan's mouth.

"Noishe!" exclaimed a relieved Kratos, "It's you!"

Noishe whined, nodding his head.

"Uh…" the boy stammered, "You want to talk?"

He felt the now familiar sensation of something cold crawling up his spine and settling in his head._ "It's about time I found you,"_ said Noishe with an annoyed whine, not dropping the key ring, _"Do you have any idea just how _long_ I've had to search for you?"_

"I'll make it up to you later," said Kratos quickly and without much thought. He stretched an arm through the bars trying to reach the keys, "Just hand me the keys and we can get out of here."

Kratos' arm flailed a little as he tried to reach Noishe, who was sitting just out of reach. _"Who said I was coming to free you?"_

The auburn-haired boy stared at Noishe, "Well, then why did you come and find me? And then bring the keys to my cell?"

"_I need you to pay attention,"_ said Noishe, his 'voice' smug, _"And I figured that the best way to get a jailed boy's attention was by dangling his freedom in front of him."_

Kratos tried to reach his arm just a little further, but still failed to even brush the keys with the tips of his fingers. "Listen," said Kratos, not taking his own advice, "If you give me the keys, I'll get you another steak, okay?"

Noishe growled, _"Do you really think that I will fall for that trick a second time?"_

Kratos quickly withdrew his arm and was silent. _"Good boy,"_ said Noishe, smug again, _"Now I want your full attention, otherwise I'm going to walk away with these keys. Understand?"_

"Fine," muttered Kratos sourly.

Noishe rolled his eyes,_"It's a start anyway,"_ he shook his head, clearly this boy was hopeless, _"Now, if you continue to listen carefully, and do as I ask, I'll give you the keys. If you don't, then I'll take the keys away and bury them out in the desert where no one will ever find them."_

"You have me wrapped around your little paw," said Kratos bitterly, "Just what is it you want from me?"

"_To teach you a little lesson in humility,"_ said Noishe, whose tail was now wagging in gleeful anticipation, _"If you want the keys, then you'll have to ask nicely for them."_

Kratos blinked, "That's it?" he asked in disbelief, "I just have to ask and you'll give them to me?"

"_The key word was 'nicely',"_ pointed out Noishe, _"If you use the magic word, then I might hand you your freedom."_

Kratos shrugged, "Okay. Please can I have the keys?" he reached an arm through the bars again, trying to reach Noishe. The protozoan didn't move.

"_You didn't mean it,"_ said Noishe, _"You have to mean it."_

Kratos rolled his eyes, "Fine. _Please_ can I have the damn keys?" he repeated, but with a mocking attempt at sincerity.

Noishe stood up, shaking his head in disapproval. _"If that is how you choose to behave_…_"_ Noishe turned and trotted away.

"WAIT!"

Noishe looked behind him at a very desperate-looking Kratos.

"Okay! I've been an ass to you lately, I know!" ranted the kid, desperation taking control of his voice, "I shouldn't have manipulated you the first time and I'm sorry about that, and I can understand if you're upset and stuff, but please don't leave me here! I don't want to be locked up here for gods know how long! Please you gotta help me!"

Noishe was still for a moment, and Kratos wondered if the arshis was going to walk away. Then Noishe walked over to Kratos' cell, letting the key ring fall from his mouth. It landed on the metal floor with a metallic _clink_.

"_Apology and plea for aid accepted!"_ said Noishe.

Kratos grabbed the keys and started trying to figure out which one fit in the lock of his cell. "Thanks." He said, not looking up from his work.

"_You're welcome."_ said Noishe.

He watched as Kratos finally found which key was to his cell, open the barred door and walk into the hall. Noishe indicated a table with a little bag on it further down the hall with a tilt of his head and said, _"I think that your stuff is in there."_

Kratos walked over to the table, inspected the contents of the sack, to discover that Noishe was right. "How'd you know?" he asked, as he returned his stuff to his pockets.

"_I didn't think they would let you keep something like a knife with you."_ Said Noishe. Then he laid down on the floor and said, _"Get on my back."_

"Huh? What for?"

"_I've seen you run,"_ explained Noishe, _"You can run fast for a human, but I can run faster. If you want to get out of here, you'll need my help."_

"Okay…"

Kratos walked cautiously over to Noishe. He sat on the animal's back, unsure of what to do next. Noishe stood up with little effort, as if his new burden weighed nothing at all.

"When you said you could run faster than me," started Kratos, "How fast exactly do you mean?"

Noishe didn't answer with words.

Noishe bolted out of the jail, turning into a flash of green that sped through the Renegade base.

* * *

Yuan was sitting at his desk, in his office, filling out some paperwork. Across the room, Kratos the angel, wearing his white and blue Cruxis outfit, was leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest, eyes staring out at nothing. Yuan was starting to get a little worried about the other seraph. After assuring Kratos that he could be returned to Derris-Kharlan when his duty on Aselia was finished, he returned to the planet via an emergency teleportation system in Welgaia. He helped point out to Yuan several possible places young Kratos could have possibly hidden. After Yuan received a report that the boy had been captured near Iselia, a place Kratos had identified as the site where the city Libra once stood, Kratos had said nothing else. 

"I wanted to thank you for telling us where Libra used to be," said Yuan in a business-like tone, "If you had not remembered then we might not have been able to find your younger self for days, possibly even weeks or months."

"I merely did what was necessary," said Kratos.

"I don't remember a lot about Libra," said Yuan, in an effort to make small talk, "I barely remember anything from back then. But I do remember that one year it snowed in the middle of summer." A faint smiled graced Yuan's face as he recalled the distant memory, "All the slum kids went out and had a giant snowball fight that day. What do you remember about Libra Kratos?"

"Almost nothing," admitted the angel.

"Really? How did you remember where Libra used to be?" asked Yuan, genuinely curious, "I didn't remember. And that location has changed a lot in four thousand years. What made you remember?"

"I…" Kratos' voice trailed off. How had he remembered? He recalled next to nothing about the ancient city, but had been able to point it out on a map that had drastically changed after thousands of years. If he were asked to navigate the city again, he would not have been able to, but he had still managed to find it after thousands of years? He brushed the thought away. Maybe it had been only a coincidence that young Kratos had been found there. There were certainly other places old Kratos thought the boy could have gone, or perhaps it had simply been a lucky guess.

Kratos was spared finishing his answer when a Renegade corporal entered Yuan's office.

"Sir!" the corporal saluted, "Lloyd Irving and four of his companions have arrived at the base and seek an audience with you."

Yuan glanced over at Kratos, who shook his head.

"Send them here," said Yuan, ignoring Kratos.

"Yessir!"

Yuan watched as his underling left his office. Yuan looked back at Kratos, who was emotionless as a brick. "Don't you at least want to say hello?" asked Yuan, concern for his old comrade creeping into his voice.

"I am not so sure that I would be welcomed back," commented Kratos.

"Your son would," said Yuan, "After seeing your younger self for the first time, Lloyd immediately accused me of having done something to you. He was worried about you, and I'm sure he's missed you."

Kratos said nothing.

Then the alarm went off.

* * *

Lloyd and his friends had just entered the base when they heard the alarm go off, its wail filling the base like a flood. They wondered for a moment if they had tripped an alarm by accident, until something green sped by them. 

"That was Noishe!" shouted Lloyd, trying to be heard over the alarm.

They ran after the protozoan.

* * *

"Damn!" cursed Yuan, checking a computer in his office, "Kratos has escaped!" 

The Kratos standing in the room decided it was wisest to ignore the strangeness of that statement. Yuan turned to his fellow seraph. "We need to catch him before he escapes again!"

"I don't think it would help matters if I were the one to capture him." commented Kratos, hesitant to be seen by his younger self.

"This isn't the time to be delicate!" shouted Yuan, "And I might need your help to restrain him, and anyone that helped him!"

Kratos hesitated, and watched as Yuan ran out of the room. After a nervous pause, Kratos silently followed Yuan.

* * *

Young Kratos lay flat on Noishe's back, his eyes tight shut, too scared to even lift his head up to see where he was going for fear that he might loose his grip and fall off the speeding protozoan. He had wrapped his arms around Noishe's furry neck and clung for dear life, as Noishe bolted, turned, and maneuvered his way through the base. Kratos thought he could hear voices of people that his canine steed passed. Then he could hear the unmistakable wail of an alarm that seemed to fill the whole building. Kratos clung tighter to the arshis, praying to any god(ess) who would listen that he would get out alive. 

Noishe stopped running so suddenly that Kratos almost flew off the animal's back. Noishe barked happily at something Kratos could not see.

_What?_ Young Kratos opened his eyes and cautiously looked up to see…

…Himself?

Young Kratos was staring up at a face that was unmistakably his own, with the same red hair and eyes. But they belonged to someone older, and he was sure he had never looked that serious for any significant period of time.

He didn't have a lot of time to contemplate this paradox, as this was when Lloyd and company ran into the corridor, spotting what Young Kratos had seen. They all froze at the unexpected sight. But because of the laws of physics and momentum, and the proximity of at least one klutz, they didn't actually stop moving. All five of them toppled and landed ungracefully on top of Noishe and his rider.

Noishe whined from the bottom of the dog pile.

Yuan came around the corner. He looked from the heap of bodies, to Old Kratos, who was looking down at the mess he had inadvertently created with his normal stony stoicism.

Yuan sighed, "At least now we have all our problems in one place…"

* * *

Holy Spork: The Kratoses have met, Noishe got to mess with someone's head, some vague foreshadowing was shoved in, and Ron and Joe are taking on a strange life of their own. (Seriously, I didn't plan them out at all. It just happened. It's kinda scary...) All in all, this chapter was fun! 

Young Kratos: You have a weird definition of 'fun'.

Spork: And you're back! HOORAY! (-glomps muse-)

Kratos: ...I feel violated.

Spork: It's just 'cuz I luff you.

Kratos: 0.0;;

Spork: Please review!

**Edited 1/1/08** - Cleaned up.


	10. Time Paradox

Holy Spork: Another fast update! Yay!

Young Kratos: (-staring at Old Kratos-) Just who the hell is that guy anyway?

Old Kratos: ...

Spork: Your cluelessness amuses me.

Young Kratos: Hey!

Old Kratos: ...

Spork: Tales of Symphonia and its characters, locations, and plot line are property of Bandai-Namco. Not Spork. Get it? Got it? Good.

* * *

Chapter X: Time Paradox

After several minutes of shuffling, randomly blurted 'I'm sorry!'s, and 'get your hands off me!'s, everyone had finally arranged themselves so that they were standing up, and not on top of anyone else. Noishe looked annoyed, Young Kratos was very confused, and Old Kratos hadn't moved at all.

Lloyd and company kept staring at Old Kratos, wondering when it was appropriate to finally ask how and why he had left Derris-Kharlan. The ancient angel was, very pointedly, not looking any of them in the eye, especially his son. In direct contrast to this, Young Kratos couldn't seem to stop staring at Old Kratos. He was very unsettled by how much he looked like the older man.

Raine was the first to break the silence. She turned to Yuan and said, "It seems that recent events all have roots with the Renegades: Young Kratos' appearance, then his capture, then the Kratos we knew appearing… would you care to explain just what has happened?"

Yuan could feel the beginnings of a headache, but said anyway, "Young Kratos appeared as the result of… an accident. When we were unable to locate him after he fled the Flanoir Base, I contacted his older self to ask for help. He was able to identify a number of places Young Kratos could have gone. When we discovered the boy he was brought back here, and then, at the wish of someone other than myself, released." Yuan glared at Lloyd and company.

Something went _click_ inside Young Kratos' brain, "W-wait a minute!" he stuttered, pointing at Old Kratos, "Are you saying… this guy is supposed to be me?"

"I'm surprised that you were unable to figure this out before now," said Old Kratos, sounding slightly bored.

"Then, you were dragged into this time too?" asked Young Kratos.

The older sighed, "No."

"But," the younger looked puzzled, "The Kharlan War was four thousand years ago… from now… that doesn't make any sense!" he wailed, "I don't get it! How come you're me, but you aren't from a different time like me?"

"Does it take such a stretch of the imagination," started the older, "For you to realize what that means?"

The younger stared at his older self with growing horror as realization dawned on him, "You're… You're FOUR THOUSAND YEARS OLD?!"

"That is correct."

"HOW THE HELL DOES THAT WORK?!" panicked the younger, "HOW COME YOU'RE NOT A PILE OF DUST?!"

"You will eventually discover the reason on your own," said the older, who didn't seem bothered by his younger self's panic attack.

"WHAT KIND OF AN ANSWER IS THAT?!"

"The only one you are going to receive. I would suggest that you take a deep breath before you speak again."

"Why do you have to be so formal all the time anyway?" said the younger, who had calmed down a little, but had, for the most part, ignored his older self's advice, "Seriously, is talking formally something you do to impress people, or is it just something all old farts do?"

The silence was deep. No one even seemed to dare breathe.

"Insulting yourself will not be productive," said Old Kratos, though his voice was tinged with annoyance.

"Insulting yourself will not be productive!" mimicked Young Kratos. His imitation was completely flawless, but still mocking.

_Was I really ever such an irritating brat?_ Wondered the older, suppressing an evil desire to strangle the kid he once was.

"Enough!" interrupted Yuan, deciding that it would be best to stop the Kratoses before they became violent, "Will the pair of you just… stop it! None of us will benefit from your bickering!"

Young Kratos glared at his older self, but said nothing. Old Kratos didn't react at all.

"What kind of 'accident' drags a person four thousand years into the future?" Raine asked Yuan, in an effort to change the subject.

"That is strictly classified information," said Yuan with a tone of Finality, with the capital F.

"Well, can you send him back?" suggested Sheena, "I mean, if you could get him here in the first place, there has to be a way to send him home, right?"

"Unfortunately, we have been unable to find a way ourselves as of yet," said Yuan. Then he looked at Lloyd, "However, now that we have the Eternal Swordsman involved, I'm sure something can be arranged. Meanwhile," Yuan turned to the Kratoses, "It would probably be best if you two avoided physical contact. Clearly just having both of you in the same room does not create a dangerous paradox, though that might change if you touch."

"So, basically you think the universe will be destroyed if I poked him?" asked Young Kratos, while the Old Kratos looked slightly annoyed.

"To put it rather simply, yes," said Yuan.

Young Kratos looked back at his older self, seemed to think about something for a moment, and then reached out an arm. "NO!" Yuan shouted, but before he could stop the boy, Young Kratos poked his older self on the forehead.

The universe imploded and everyone died. The end.

No, that's a lie. Nothing happened, except Old Kratos looked a little irritated.

Actually, the space/time continuum collapsed and the world ended.

That's a lie too. The coffee is actually hot.

And now to return to the feature presentation:

"Cool!" exclaimed Young Kratos, "I didn't break the space/time thingie!"

"You stupid reckless boy!" snarled Yuan, though this didn't seem to faze Young Kratos at all, "Didn't you understand when I said that physical contact might destroy the universe?!"

"Well, yeah," said Young Kratos, "But nothing happened. So what's the big deal?"

Yuan's hands clenched into fists, and for a moment he seemed to consider doing something violent and irrational. But then he took a deep breath and relaxed. "Fine," said Yuan, his voice strained, "Fine, if that is how you wish to behave – "

"FASCINATING!"

Everyone turned to Raine, who was staring at the Kratoses. They watched as the Professor's eyes lit up with a familiar and terrible gleam…

"Simply fascinating!" she continued, "I will admit that I am not a physicist, but this is simply fascinating! Absolutely fascinating!"

Young Kratos hid behind his older self, "Raine… please stop calling me fascinating," cowered the boy, "It's kinda scary…"

"But this is a time paradox!" exclaimed Raine, "Two versions of the same person have met, an event that is considered impossible! We are witnessing something that has never before taken place! And it has occurred without any detrimental effects to either Kratos, or the world! FASCINATING!"

"KEEP HER AWAY FRO M ME!" panicked Young Kratos, still hiding behind Old Kratos. Old Kratos reached behind him and dragged Young Kratos out from behind him with a yank on the boy's shirt collar.

"Cowering like a frightened child will not help matters," said Old Kratos, as his younger self struggled to free himself. As Raine watched, she noticed the telltale metallic glint off of something around Young Kratos' right wrist. It took her only a moment, and some speculation, to identify the object.

Raine flew forward and grabbed Young Kratos' right arm, inspecting the metal 'handcuff' on the boy's hand. "MARVELOUS!" she shouted with terrible glee, "Yuan, is this a Magic Inhibitor? I had no idea that the technology still existed! Oh, a fusion of polycarbonate and inhibitor ore used to suppress magic in the wearer! It was used during the Ancient War to subdue captured mages! I never thought I would live to see one! MARVELOUS!"

Young Kratos has his eyes tight shut, trying desperately to find his happy place as Raine almost devoured his hand with her eyes.

"Can I keep it?" demanded Raine, turning to Yuan, fixing him with a Ruin-Mode stare.

Yuan hesitated. What Raine was demanding was Renegade property, but that was a rather frightening look he was getting. Yuan gestured to one of his men. "Release the boy." He ordered, "And let her keep the Inhibitor." A Renegade walked over, pulled out a key ring, and after a moment and a metallic _click_, the Inhibitor came off Young Kratos' wrist. Raine immediately descended on it like a greedy vulture, snatching the Inhibitor from the guard, muttering joyful exclamations to herself as she stroked the dark metal.

"I don't get it," started Genis, "If that thing is supposed to suppress magic, why put it on Kratos? He's human."

"It's standard procedure," explained Yuan, as Raine stroked and cooed at her latest acquisition, "Whenever we take a prisoner we put on a Magic Inhibitor, because many half-elves could pass for human. It's simply a safety precaution we take with everyone we jail. That is simply how I trained my men."

_That's weird,_ thought Lloyd, _Did they put one on me when I was captured?_ Lloyd still vividly remembered being kidnapped by the Renegades shortly after he was banished from Iselia. He tried to remember if he had been given an Inhibitor then. He didn't think so, but Yuan said it was standard. Maybe Lloyd just didn't remember. He didn't have a good memory for details anyway.

Lloyd looked back at Old Kratos, who had not said or done much other than fight with his younger self. Kratos had not even looked in Lloyd's general direction since they had met. Lloyd was started to feel a little upset about that, did his father not want to see him?

Yuan looked from Old Kratos to Lloyd and back. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"I think it's time we let Lloyd and the older Kratos have a moment to themselves," stated Yuan, "I'll show the rest of you to my office."

"Huh?" Young Kratos looked confused, "Why? I mean, what would they – "

Yuan, who didn't want to tolerate the boy any longer, grabbed Young Kratos by the collar of his shirt and dragged him, and his many protests, away. After a quick glance at Old Kratos and Lloyd the others retreated, leaving the two angels alone. The father and son looked at one another. For what felt like half an eternity neither said anything.

"…Hi," said Lloyd, lamely.

Kratos looked uncomfortable. "Lloyd…"

Old Kratos was at a total loss as to what to say. He never knew his own father, so he didn't know how to behave now with his own son. It had been easy when Anna was still alive; she seemed to know how to raise a child. Now that she was gone he was completely at a loss as to what to say and do.That was without considering how Lloyd felt about Kratos leaving Aselia and then suddenly returning. Did Lloyd resent him for his choice?

"It's… good to see you again… Dad," said Lloyd shyly. He hadn't thought he would ever see his biological father ever again. He had been so sure when he exiled Kratos on Derris-Kharlan what was it. But now…

…Now he didn't know what do to.

They had never been close, not really. They had just barely started to _really_ know each other before Kratos went on his self-imposed exile. Kratos loved his son more than his own life, but couldn't find the words to express his feelings. Lloyd just didn't know what to do at all. So he said the first thing that came to mind.

"I missed you," said Lloyd awkwardly.

Some light seemed to flicker to life behind Kratos' eyes, but died as quickly as it appeared. _I shouldn't be here…_

"I... missed you as well," said Kratos, because he couldn't think of any other way to respond.

Another silence fell between them. It was full of words they couldn't find, or feelings they didn't know how to express. Most of all it was filled with a void they couldn't seem to cross.

Kratos was the first to look away.

"We have kept the others waiting long enough," he said, his voice devoid of anything that could even vaguely be called emotion. He turned to leave without a glance behind. Lloyd, still unable to say anything, followed his father. When they reached Yuan's office, they found the half-elf standing outside the door, waiting for them.

"Lloyd, I need to speak with you for a moment," he said, and then added, "Alone." Kratos gave Yuan a suspicious glance, but walked into the office, leaving the two alone in the hall.

"What is it?" demanded Lloyd, looking up at the half-elf.

"I need you to do me a favor," said Yuan, "And I want you to keep this to yourself."

Lloyd blinked. What could Yuan possibly want from him? "Okay," said Lloyd, "What do you need me to do?"

Yuan paused for a minute, hand-picking his words, "Just keep an eye on Kratos," said Yuan, "And make sure he doesn't do anything… stupid. All right?"

"Uh… okay," said Lloyd, who didn't have a clue why Yuan was asking him to do this.

"Good," Yuan walked back into his office. Lloyd, still at a loss, followed the half-elf. When they entered the office, Yuan started to speak. "Now that you've gotten involved," said Yuan, addressing Lloyd, a tinge to his voice indicated that he sorely wished Lloyd had never stuck his nose into the Renegade's business in the first place, "I'll have to ask you to use the Eternal Sword to send Young Kratos back to his time."

Lloyd turned to Young Kratos. "Do you want to go home?"

"Hell yeah," said Young Kratos enthusiastically.

"Asking him isn't necessary." Said Yuan.

"Yes it is!" argued Lloyd, "If I'm going to send someone away, through time or space, I want to make sure they're okay with it first. I won't sent anyone anywhere with the Eternal Sword unless they want to go."

"Fine." Said Yuan, who didn't have the patience for a lecture from Lloyd.

"I guess… this is goodbye then," said Lloyd, looking back at the younger version of his father.

"Yeah," said young Kratos shrugging, "I'm ready to go home." _And be away from crazy people who want to capture me, hold me hostage, or feed me to their dogs._

Lloyd held out his arm, and with a flash of light the Eternal Sword materialized in front of him, glowing and pulsating in midair. Young Kratos looked up at the weapon. _This thing is supposed to send me home…?_

"Well… goodbye," said Lloyd.

Young Kratos nodded, "You too,"

"Just send the boy home," said Yuan, "It's about time that we resolved this issue."

"All right," Lloyd nodded at Yuan. Then he called, with all the conviction he could muster, "Origin!"

_**What do you wish of me, Master of the Pact?**_ Inquired the deep voice of the King of Summon Spirits.

"Send young Kratos back to his right time!"

There was a pause, in which nothing happened.

"…Isn't something supposed to happen?" said Young Kratos, with a little bit of sarcasm, "Like… I dunno, a flash of light, or maybe, _me returning to Libra_?"

"Origin!" called Lloyd again, "Send young Kratos back to his time!"

_**I cannot.**_

* * *

Spork: Okay, raise your hand if you thought I was going to end the story. Seriously, I'm curious to see if I fooled anyone.

Kratos: Why couldn't you have just ENDED it?

Spork: This is too much fun! (Even if the scene with Lloyd and Old Kratos sucked like a leech...)

Kratos: (-groan-) Well, when do you think you'll stop?

Spork: No idea. I mean, I'm not even half way through yet. Or even a quarter of a way through, if I decide to include some other weird stuff I'm considering...

Kratos: WHAT?!

Spork: (-cackle-) Please review! Oh, and a heads up: Past and Future will be on a hiatus for December, but that's because tomorrow (12/1/2007) I'll be posting something special. :)

Kratos: Great, just when I thought I was going to get a break for once...

**Edited 3/23/08 - Cleaned up and changed a few lines.**


	11. The Art Of Self Control

Holy Spork: (-glomps muse-) I MISSED THIS FIC SO MUCH!

Young Kratos: (-makes a distressed gagging noise-)

Spork: I'M SO HAPPY I'M BACK! Even though I don't own Tales of Symphonia, its characters, or plot line, because Bandai-Namco does. And I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

* * *

Chapter XI: The Art Of Self-Control 

"What do you mean you can't send him home?" demanded Lloyd.

_**To do so would endanger the health of the Kharlan Tree sapling,**_ explained Origin, _**It is not strong enough yet to supply enough mana to equal your demand. It has already suffered minor damaged from large recent mana drains. I would have to draw on mana from the tree to send the boy home, and to do so could cause permanent harm to the tree.**_

_Recent mana drains…As in more than one…?_ Yuan looked over at his desk, where a formal written report on the circumstances of Young Kratos' appearance was lying. He wondered if maybe there was something his men had failed to tell him.

Lloyd dismissed Origin and the Eternal Sword without another word. Young Kratos didn't say or do anything. He felt numb. Ever since he had ended up in this time he had done nothing but run, and now his once chance to go home had been crushed.

"Hey, Kratos," said Lloyd, "Are you okay?"

Young Kratos turned to glare a violently angry glare at Lloyd. It reminded him of some of the rare times Old Kratos had been _really_ angry during the Reunification Journey.

"AM I OKAY?!" shouted Young Kratos, "AM I OKAY?! WHAT KIND OF A QUESTION IS THAT?! I SHOULD'VE _KNOWN_ WHEN IT TURNED OUT THE DIMWIT HAD A SWORD THAT COULD BEND SPACE AND TIME THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO BE THAT EASY!"

"Hey! I'm not a dimwit!" protested Lloyd.

"Calm down!" shouted Yuan.

"NO I WON'T CALM DOWN!" continued Young Kratos, "I THINK AFTER BEING DRAGGED FOUR THOUSAND YEARS INTO THE FUTURE I'M ENTITLED TO A CHANCE TO _NOT_ BE CALM FOR A BIT!"

_It looks like Kratos didn't learn the art of self-control until later in life_… observed Raine.

"Right…" Yuan sighed, it had been a very long day, "The Renegades will take Young Kratos back, and then we'll – "

"I'm not walking into one of your cells!" protested Young Kratos hotly.

"Who said you would have the option of _walking_ anywhere?" said Yuan threateningly.

"He doesn't have to stay with the Renegades," interrupted Raine, "He could stay with us. We can keep an eye on him and take care of him until another way is found to send him back to his own time. Is that acceptable?"

Yuan glanced over at Old Kratos, who made no indication yes or no. He was going to let Yuan decide.

"Fine," said Yuan, "But if he runs away from you, we will have to take him again, and make sure that his prison is completely Lloyd-proof this time. Is this understood?"

"Uh… sure," said Lloyd nervously.

"Good," said Yuan, "Now that we understand one another, it is time for you to leave. I have other matters that I must tend to."

They all turned to leave at the dismissal. Lloyd had just opened the door to the office when Yuan spoke up again.

"Just a moment Kratos," said Yuan, looking at Old Kratos, "I need to speak with you."

"All right," said the seraph, "Go on ahead without me, I will come later," he said to Lloyd and the others.

Lloyd looked from Yuan to Old Kratos, but nodded. Then he and the others left the room, leaving the two seraphim alone.

"What is it?" asked Old Kratos.

"I just wanted to ask," started Yuan, "If you are sure that you can recall nothing. Can you remember _anything_ that might involve being sent into the future? Even a fragment?"

Kratos paused, searching his many memories as best he could. He had already tried to remember something from when he was seventeen. He couldn't even remember being that young. He must have been at some point, though it seemed that he had simply been old (by human standards) for his whole life. He barely remembered anything from his childhood, not even any possible trips into the future.

Kratos shook his head, "I remember nothing."

Yuan sighed, "I suppose it can't be helped…" he said exasperatedly, then he regained his normal business-like manner, "I might need your help later, finding a way to send your younger self back to his proper time. Until then, it's probably best if you went with Lloyd and the others and kept an eye on the boy."

This didn't seem to please Kratos at all, but he said, "All right."

Yuan watched his friend carefully, and once more read the subtle signs four thousand years had taught him to recognize. "Is something troubling you?" asked Yuan.

Kratos looked away. "…I shouldn't have come back," he said. His voice was distant, and Yuan wondered for a moment if Kratos was talking to him or not.

"I would've thought that you would be happy to be back," stated Yuan.

"Happy about what?" asked Kratos, in a tone Yuan couldn't immediately place creeping into his voice. Bitterness? Anger?

"To be back on the world on which you were born, to walk under the sun again, to be with your son," said Yuan, "Especially your son."

Kratos was silent for a moment, and then said, in a bland tone, "Do you think that is best for him, for me to return? The Reunification Journey was about Lloyd fixing _my_ mistakes. What good would it do him if I came back?"

"Have you ever thought that he might want to know you?" said Yuan, "To have a relationship with you just because you're his father? He's forgiven you for the past, he's said so himself. He would let you stay here, and not hold your past against you."

"And what then? Yuan, I am immortal, Lloyd is not."

The words and the dead tone Kratos had used were all Yuan needed to understand. "So that is what you were running from." Kratos glared at him, but Yuan continued despite the anger, "You're afraid you'll have to watch Lloyd grow old and die, when you will not," said Yuan, secure in the knowledge that he was right, "Is that what you were running from?"

Kratos said nothing, keeping his emotions tucked away behind a perfect mask he had built and improved upon over four thousand years. Yuan was right, but Kratos wasn't going to give the half-elf the satisfaction of admitting it. Lloyd was Kratos' only living family. If Kratos stayed on Aselia, then unless he found a way to reverse the effects of the Aionis he had consumed (and he had certainly spent enough time searching for a way himself) then one day Lloyd would die, while Kratos would live on. He would one day have to bury his son, and he knew that it would destroy him.

But he wasn't going to tell Yuan that.

"That is none of your concern," said Kratos coldly. Without so much as a second glance, Kratos strode past Yuan and left the office, taking care _not_ to slam the door behind him. Yuan watched him go, frowning after the other angel.

"Go ahead," said Yuan to the door, "You always were good at running."

* * *

"I apologize for the delay," said Old Kratos, emerging from the base, where the others had been lounging around, waiting. 

"It's okay Dad!" said Lloyd, "Now we can head off!"

Young Kratos looked at Lloyd, his older self, and back, as a horrible realization started to grow inside him. "Wait a minute… _Dad_?" said Young Kratos. He pointed at his older self, "Lloyd, are you saying that he's your _father_?"

Lloyd looked at Young Kratos. He blushed a little, "Um… yeah," he said, "I don't know what that makes you…" He puzzled over the interesting problem that was Time Travel and Grammar.

"So you're saying that I have a son who's the same age as me?" said Young Kratos, who was clearly horrified at this idea.

Genis sighed, "No, because he's not technically your son _yet_," said the smart one, "He's _going to be_ your son."

"…That didn't really help," said Young Kratos wretchedly.

Lloyd seemed to think about something, and then added, "Does this mean I have three dads now?"

"That's helping even _less_!" panicked Young Kratos, "I mean, just having… going to have a son, or whatever, that's just…" Young Kratos looked uncomfortable, and then looked down at his feet. He hoped that his hair hid the fact that he was blushing. Lloyd noticed that Young Kratos wouldn't even look up him, or at his older self. Young Kratos looked troubled.

"Are you okay?" asked Lloyd.

"Fine," said Young Kratos blandly, not looking up.

"Hey, Kratos," said Sheena, changing the subject, "Can you use a Rheaird?"

"Um…" the boy hesitated, "I can, but I'm not really good at flying."

"Take one anyway," said Sheena, "We have an extra Rheaird. You don't have to be very good to fly one of these things."

"Okay…"

Young Kratos examined the Rheaird Sheena had lent him. He tried not to imagine it in flames. He got on the Rheaird and said, "Where to now?"

"Just back to Iselia, I suppose," suggested Raine. No one argued otherwise.

After a moment spent trying to shove Noishe onto a Rheaird with someone else, they were in the air, flying in the direction of Iselia. Lloyd quickly grew tired of the gloomy air that had suddenly settled onto the group. He wanted to cheer them up, but how? He thought about it, and then had a brilliant idea.

"I know what we should do! We should have a reunion!" proclaimed Lloyd, "I mean, me and Colette, Sheena, Genis, Raine, and Dad are all here, if we just invited Presea, Regal, and Zelos to Iselia, we could have a reunion!"

"That sounds like fun!" chirped Colette. She looked over at Young Kratos, "And you can meet all of our friends!"

"What are they like?" asked Young Kratos.

"Presea is a lumberjack," started Colette, "She's really quite, but she's really nice. Then there's Regal, he's the president of a whole company! And then there's Zelos, he's really nice too!"

Sheena muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Womanizing Chosen."

"Why don't we go ahead and find them now?" suggested Lloyd.

"I'd like to just go back to Iselia," said Genis, who felt a little tired.

"We can go to Altamira first," said Lloyd with a grin. He knew exactly what buttons to push, "Presea is supposed to be there, right?"

"TO ALTAMIRA!" shouted Genis energetically.

"Lloyd," started Raine, "I think it would be best if – "

"LAST ONE TO ALTAMIRA HAS TO WEAR THE KATZ COSTUME!" yelled Lloyd, before zooming off. Colette, Sheena, and Genis followed close behind.

Young Kratos was hesitant about speeding off, particularly when he didn't know where or what the destination was. But when he looked behind him, he realized that if he stayed he would have to be in the presence of his older self for however long it took to reach this Altamira place.

"WAIT FOR ME!" shouted Young Kratos, accelerating after Lloyd and the others.

Old Kratos watched him go. "I suppose now there is no choice but to follow them," sighed an irritated Old Kratos. He and Raine changed direction and accelerated slightly to catch up to Lloyd and the others. A silence fell between the two adults.

In an effort to make small talk, Raine said, "I had no idea that you had been so outgoing as a child."

"People change," said Kratos, "I am no exception."

Raine sighed, "I know." She paused, and then added, "Genis and the others certainly seem to get along well with your younger self."

"So it seems."

There was another silence.

"What was it like," Raine asked, "Meeting yourself they way you did?"

Kratos didn't say anything, and for a moment, Raine wondered if he wasn't going to answer.

"It was… strange," he admitted. He did not elaborate. This seemed to exhaust another conversation topic.

Raine sighed to herself, and looked ahead. It seemed she wasn't going to get much else out of the seraph. She considered herself to be a fairly good judge of character, but it was almost impossible for her to even guess what he was thinking. Not during the Reunification Journey, and certainly not since. She wondered if he had been like this before he met Anna, and if that was the case, how she had gotten through to him. Old Kratos never laughed, never cried, rarely smiled, and he even managed to restrain his anger on most occasions. Sometimes it seemed that the man felt _nothing_.

But that couldn't really be the case. He had willingly returned to the world he had left, that had to mean something. Lloyd didn't seem to know how to react yet, but Raine was sure that he was happy that his father had come home. They just needed time.

Time… that brought up another issue. Young Kratos. Raine was absolutely fascinated by him. He was so different from his older self. Young Kratos seemed completely at ease. He would goof off with Lloyd and the others, laugh with them like any other boy of his age. She had seem him cry over the shattered remains of his home, seen him lose his temper. She had not asked him in what conditions he had grown up, and didn't think the older would reveal such information to her. Raine couldn't help but wonder exactly what it was that had turned the open, energetic Young Kratos into the cold, silent Old Kratos. She could certainly imagine reasons. She could imagine plenty. Thinking about him made her realize something:

She pitied him.

* * *

The crew had landed outside Altamira. They had not yet entered the resort, as there was a small problem that had to be tended to first. 

"I did say I wasn't good at flying."

"You didn't say anything about _landing_!"

"Calm down, it's fixable."

"FIXABLE?!" yelled Sheena, who had owned the extra Rheaird Young Kratos had used, "YOU TOTALED IT!"

The Rheaird was half-buried in the dirt. One of the wings had already fallen off, and the engine made strange sucking noises anytime anyone tried to start it up again.

"It can't be that hard to repair," said Young Kratos, staring at the wreckage he had created, "I mean, a new wing, new engine, and a paint job, and it'll be in the air again, right?"

He received a number of angry glares. "What?" he said.

No one stopped glaring.

Young Kratos fidgeted nervously, "I guess this means I'm not allowed to drive again, huh?"

* * *

"Welcome to Altamira!" chirped a bunny-lady as Lloyd and the crew walked into Altamira. Genis was in a Katz suit. 

"You were last," pointed out Lloyd with a grin when Genis complained about this, "You have to wear the suit."

Genis continued to pout but didn't complain anymore as they made their way to the Lezareno Company building. They asked the front desk receptionist where the President could be found, and no, they didn't have an appointment, but they were old friends, from the Reunification Journey.

An elevator ride later, they arrived at the President's office. They went inside and saw the familiar form of Regal sitting as his desk, and Presea standing nearby. They seemed to be deep in conversation.

"Regal! Presea!"

The Regal looked up from his desk to see his old companions walking into the office. Presea, looked up as well. Lloyd and the others filed in.

"H-hi!" stuttered Genis shyly as he walked up to Presea, "Y-you look r-really pretty…"

Presea blinked, surprised by this sudden compliment. "Thank you Genis," she said. Her voice still had the monotone from when she had lost her soul to the Exsphere, but she had long since begun to regain her emotions. "But why," she started, "Are you wearing the Katz suit?"

"Uh…" Genis blushed, trying to think of a way to salvage his honor, "B-because… I thought y-you liked… cats? _Do_ you like cats, Presea?"

"I have… no opinion." Said Presea.

"How can I be of service to my old comrades?" asked Regal, deciding that it was best to not draw attention to Genis' plight. Then Regal spotted the Kratoses. Young Kratos was attempting to blend in with the wallpaper on the back wall, and Old Kratos was merely looking blank, as per usual. "I take it something has happened since we last met." Regal added.

"Well," Lloyd started, "It's kind of a long, weird story…"

He explained to Regal and Presea about discovering Young Kratos, then Old Kratos, and everything before, in-between, and after those events. When he was finished Regal nodded, contemplating this.

"This is certainly… unusual," said Regal, glancing over at the two Kratoses.

"I figured, since we're kind of already on our way to a reunion, why don't we celebrate it?" said Lloyd with a smile, "Think back to good times, you know?"

"That would be… fun," said Presea, taking a moment to find the word 'fun'.

"Yes, I think a vacation would be beneficial," said Regal.

"Are you sure you can leave your business for a few days?" asked Raine.

Regal nodded, "I can have someone else look after the company while I am gone. I will go and make those arrangements now." He added, walking out of the office, "I'll meet up with you outside the building. This should only take a few minutes."

* * *

In a different room, an old man was sorting files. Without saying a word, he quickly scanned the files and then sorted them by placing them into different piles. It wasn't a challenging task, merely time consuming. But it was something to do while waiting. 

He didn't look up when he heard the door open. He recognized the heavy footfalls, he knew who it was without looking. "What is it, Master Bryant?"

"Presea and I will be leaving Altamira for a while," stated Regal, "As George is ill, I was hoping you would be able to watch things here until I return."

The old man turned to look at Regal, giving him a nod, "I am honored that you would leave me such a task."

Regal shook his head, "Though we have not known each other long, you have been a good and reliable friend. I feel that you have the competence to stand in my place temporarily."

The old man paused, and then asked, "May I ask what it is that calls you away?"

"Some old friends have arrived," started Regal, "They wish to hold a reunion of sorts. I would enjoy seeing them again."

"That is reasonable." The old man slipped into silence for a moment, as if in contemplation. He slipped back out of his thoughts. "Then go and relax for a change, Master Bryant," said the old man, "It will do you good."

"Thank you, Rusty," said Regal, "I am sure Altamira is in good hands."

The old man nodded in farewell, and watched as the President of the Lezareno Company left the room. He bowed his head and closed his eyes.

_No… it's to soon yet…I must wait a little longer before I can reveal myself…_

* * *

Young Kratos: Oh gods, you're adding a _plot_, aren't you? 

Holy Spork: ...Maybe...

Kratos:(-rolls eyes-) You're adding a mysterious old guy!

Spork: He has a purpose, just hurry up and wait. I'd be really surprised if anyone can figure out who he is. I don't think it's even possible to tell yet...

Kratos: Then why bother?

Spork: It's called foreshadowing. I do that a lot. This chapter was more plot-y than funny... I hope it wasn't too bad.

Kratos: ...You really do have the self-confidence of a damp towel, don't you?

Spork: Please review.


	12. Lead On Dinosaur

Holy Spork: Gah! I'm late updating again! T.T

Young Kratos: (-rolls eyes-) It's not like anybody missed you.

Spork: But I'm almost up to 100 reviews! I'VE NEVER EVEN HAD 100 REVIEWS IN MY WILDEST DREAMS!!

Kratos: Uh...

Spork: SO MANY MORE PEOPLE TO DISAPPOINT! AHHH!

Kratos: Spork doesn't own Tales of Symphonia, its characters, plot line, or locations... or sanity either.

Spork: HAPPY 2008 EVERYONE!

* * *

Chapter XII: Lead On Dinosaur 

As soon as Regal rejoined the group, they took off again. Regal had removed his shackles, just as he had promised Alicia's ghost, which mean that he could now properly pilot a Rheaird. Young Kratos had been forbidden from driving, lest he destroy another Rheaird. So he had been forced to ride the Rheaird his older self piloted. Needless to say, neither Kratos was particularly happy with this arrangement.

"Zelos should be in Meltokio, right?" asked Lloyd.

Sheena shrugged, "Should be," she said, "I can't think of a reason why he would be anywhere else."

"To Meltokio!" shouted Lloyd dramatically.

"What's this Zelos person like again?" asked Young Kratos, trying to ignore his proximity to his older self.

"He's really funny and nice and he likes Sheena!" said Colette.

Sheena blushed, but said nothing.

"Oh, I see," said Young Kratos, grinning at Sheena, "So that's how it is, huh?"

Sheena glared death at him, but didn't say anything. He cringed anyway and remained silent for the duration of the flight.

Lloyd and company landed just outside of Meltokio. They walked up to Zelos' mansion, and walked right inside, pretty sure that Zelos wouldn't mind them barging into his home. They found that the former Chosen was not in his home, but they did discover Zelos' butler, Sebastian, tending to some strange, mysterious, butler-y duty. Sebastian turned to them and bowed a small bow to them.

"Good day, Sir Bud," drawled Sebastian, "And good day to all of your… friends."

Genis snickered at the old nickname, Lloyd blushed, and Old Kratos gave his son an inquiring look. He had not heard that Zelos had called Lloyd 'Bud'.

"W-we wanted to see Zelos," said Lloyd, stuttering a little with embarrassment, "Where is he?"

"Master Zelos is out at the moment," said Sebastian primly, "He has gone to the South Eastern Abby to visit Mistress Seles."

"Ah…" said Lloyd, a little disappointed, "Thanks anyway Sebastian."

"Good day, Sir Bud." Said the butler.

"My name's not – " started Lloyd hotly.

"Lloyd," said Colette, tugging at his arm, "Let's go. Okay?"

He grunted, "Fine."

When they were outside, Lloyd said, "Let's head back to Iselia."

"You're not going to wait for Zelos?" asked Sheena.

"He's gone to visit his sister," pointed out Lloyd, "Let's just give him and Seles their space. When Zelos comes home, then we'll party!"

They flew off.

Sebastian watched them leave from a window. He seemed to be considering something. "Perhaps I should have mentioned the little master to them…" he wondered aloud. Then he shook his head, "None of their business," he said dismissively, and returned to his strange, mysterious, butler-y duties.

* * *

"...That was uneventful," commented Young Kratos. 

"Zelos and Seles deserve a little time together," said Lloyd.

Sheena tried to suppress the memory of the time when Seles had accused her of being a slut, trying to steal her brother away. Sheena had no idea how Zelos and Seles could get along... which they didn't seem to, admittedly.

"We'll just come back tomorrow," announced Lloyd. As the unofficial leader of the group, he was allowed to make these kinds of decisions. "Then we'll have the party!"

"...It's nearly nightfall," observed Raine, "We should head back to Iselia now if we are to get to the village before sundown."

"LAST ONE THERE HAS TO EAT RAINE'S COOKING!" shouted Lloyd, before zooming off.

"Wait for me!" shouted poor Colette, flying off after him. The others followed shortly afterwards.

"My cooking isn't that bad..." muttered Raine defensively, before she too followed her companions.

* * *

It was nearly dusk when the party arrived at Iselia. They spent several minutes after their landing that no, Raine, it wasn't necessary for her to prove that her cooking wasn't that bad. Really. Seriously. Just put the spatula down. 

Colette had noticed that Young Kratos had been a little fidgety since they had left the Triet Base. He had been casting nervous, even suspicious glances at the others, particularly Presea and Regal, who he seemed unsure of.

"Hey, Kratos, are you okay?" asked Colette.

Young Kratos looked up, then looked away and fidgeted. There was something that had been bothering him since they left the base, something he couldn't quite figure out."It's just…" he started a little awkwardly, "Why did you guys go through all the trouble to spring me from prison anyway? Why didn't you just leave the Renegades alone?"

Colette and the others seemed genuinely surprised by his question. "We weren't going to just leave you!" chirped Colette, "You're our friend, and you were in trouble."

Kratos stared; he seemed to be unable to process this particular concept. "…That's it?" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Did you think we needed another reason?" asked Genis.

The look on the Kratos' face suggested that yes, he had expected an ulterior motive.

"...How does someone like you get along with someone like Lloyd?" asked Genis, "You're probably the most cynical person on the planet, you know that?"

"Cynicism is a survival trait back home," said Kratos, "You don't get very far by believing that everyone is basically good and wouldn't stab you in the back if it was to their advantage."

"...Your home doesn't sound like a very pleasant place," commented Sheena.

Kratos shrugged, "It's home," he said plainly, "That's all that matters to me. Besides," he added, "No place is perfect."

"I didn't mean to offend," said Sheena.

Kratos shook his head, "None taken." He paused, and then added, "...Thanks... for helping me, anyway."

"When will you get it through your head, you're our friend!" said Genis.

Young Kratos smiled, "...I'll keep that in mind."

It was so weird to him that these people would be so open with him, so... welcoming. He had never met anyone like them before. He didn't get along with his family because of his parentage, and it even took Yuan a long time before he learned to trust Kratos. Admittedly, at first Kratos had made no effort to earn their trust. It's strange... now people can change.

Thinking of Yuan made Kratos feel guilty. When was the last time he had actually thought of his best friend anyway? The half-elf had been like a brother to Kratos. How was it that he had come to so lightly forget his friends?

He felt another pang of guilt as he recalled that Yuan didn't even know Kratos' real name. In fact, there was a lot that Kratos had lied to him about. He would have lied to Lloyd and the others too, but they knew him long before he knew them. They already knew his real name, he hadn't been given a chance to lie. They already knew more about him than someone Kratos considered a brother.

Trusting others wasn't something that came easily to Kratos, and judging from what he had seen of his older self, it was something that never would come easily. He was a coward when it came to putting faith in others. He had learned early that humans in general weren't trustworthy. Even now he trusted half-elves more easily than humans, and even then he kept his suspicion for a while. He wasn't even entirely sure Lloyd and the others really had pure motives (if there was such a thing), but he couldn't think of a selfish reason for flying across half a continent to try to free him from the Renegades. He didn't have anything they could possibly want. So why bother?

_But they called me their friend_...

* * *

Nightfall came, and sleeping arrangements were made. Iselia had gained a proper inn since the worlds had been reunited. Presea and Regal were planning to stay at the inn, Lloyd would head home to Dirk's, Colette, Raine, Genis, and Young Kratos were staying in the Brunel home. Old Kratos apparently was planning to not sleep at all that night, as he respectfully declined all invitations to stay anywhere. 

Young Kratos didn't think anything of it. _He's just having fun being the mysterious old man of the group._ He oncluded. He didn't think anything more of it as he curled up on the Brunel's squeaky old couch and fell asleep.

He was in the middle of a strange, but very good dream (something to do with lampshades, bananas, and sporks, he recalled later) when he heard a gruff voice try to wake him.

"Wake up."

"Mrmff..." mumbled Young Kratos blearily, still half asleep, "Gimmie a banana..."

"I said, wake up."

"Shove off..." Young Kratos rolled onto his side. He yelped when something grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and yanked upwards. "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"Must you make such noise?" said Old Kratos irritably.

The younger scowled up at the older, "What was that for?" he demanded.

"I need to speak with you," said Old Kratos to his younger self, releasing the boy.

The younger looked suspicious, "About what, old man?"

The older tried to suppress his annoyance when he said, "Come with me."

"Huh? Why?" questioned the younger.

"I need to speak with you," repeated the older, "Where no one else will hear us."

"They're _asleep_," the younger pointed out, "Besides, I'm not going anywhere alone with a scary man I know hates me."

"You can either walk," said the older darkly, "Or be dragged. It's your decision."

"Fine," said the younger snidely, standing up, "Lead on, dinosaur."

The older scowled, turned around, and walked off. The younger followed behind, after grabbing his jacket, and making sure that his knife was still in the right pocket.

The older headed towards the forest, not even looking over his shoulder to see if the younger was still following. The younger gave the tree line a wary look as he followed his older self into the forest. What was it with these people and trees? It wasn't as if there was anything special or even interesting about them. A thought struck the younger, something he had wanted to ask his older self. After a moment of doubt, he spoke up.

"...Can I ask you something?" the younger said suddenly.

"What is it?" asked the older, without a backwards glance.

"...You were with Cruxis, right? The guys that tried to kill Colette?"

The older said nothing, he didn't even look at his younger self.

"Well?" demanded the younger.

"I was," admitted the older. At this point, he didn't see a reason to insulate his younger self from his fate.

"I figured as much," said the younger, "Lloyd and the others didn't tell me, but it makes sense. The way you're always on the fringe and you're so stiff around the others. It makes sense."

The older said nothing.

"...You like being the silent and cryptic old guy, don't you?"

"I would appreciate it if you were silent."

"Is that 'old man' for 'shut up'?"

"Would you rather be forcibly silenced?"

"Fine. Be that way."

They eventually arrived at a patch of forest that, to the younger Kratos, looked exactly like the rest of the forest, but seemed to satisfy whatever condition the older had for a 'private location'.

"Spit it out then," said the younger, "What do you want?"

The older looked back at the younger, glaring at the boy, "I'll tell you only once," growled the older, "Stay away from my son."

The younger blinked, "Huh? Why?"

"I simply do not want you near him," said the older.

"What do you think I'm gonna do?" said the younger, bewildered, "I'm not going to hurt him!"

"Don't think I've forgotten the things you have done," started the older in a threatening tone, "You've done some rather unsavory things, and I do not want you to influence my son negatively."

The younger glared at the older, "I think your memory's going bad, you old geezer," he said, "I'm clean now. I know I'm not a saint. I've done plenty of crap I'm not proud of, and I only got out of the mess I was in because Yuan made me realize I had made a lot of stupid mistakes. But you know what? Now I'm trying to _make up_ for my mistakes, and not by running away and stranding myself on an ugly comet."

"That," started the older darkly, "Is none of your concern. I have my own reasons for leaving, reasons that you clearly cannot understand."

The younger rolled his eyes, "I'm sure _Dad_ would've spouted something like that to Mom when he took off."

The younger knew he had hit a nerve when the older glared a Glare of Angry Flaming Death.

"You," snarled the older, "Are a vindictive brat."

"That's something else," started the younger, deciding that he would ask someone _else_ later what 'vindictive' meant, "Stop talking down to me like that. You talk like the things I did have nothing to do with you. As much as the thought bothers me, you've gotta remember, _we're the same damn person_!"

"That fact is highly debatable," argued the older.

"Now you're just in denial," said the younger, crossing his arms.

"It seems to me that you simply enjoy causing me displeasure," growled the other, "And nothing more."

The younger shrugged, "Yeah, it is kinda fun," he admitted with a grin, "It's fun watching you get all worked up."

"Are you familiar with the concept of karma?"

"Yep."

"Then you do realize that one day you will be on the receiving end of all your own insults?"

"Yeah, but not for, what? Four million years?"

"Four _thousand_."

"That still makes you a fossil."

"How could I have ever been like you...?"

"How could I turn into you?"

The Kratoses glared at each other.

"Stay away from my son," growled the older, breaking the silence and returning to the original topic.

"Stop talking to me like that!" snapped the younger, "Lloyd and the others, they're my friends! You've already done more damage that I ever will, with Cruxis and crap. Wait... when I say you, I don't mean me... I mean...you... I mean..." the younger let out an angry cry of frustration, "Just leave me alone!" he finally snarled.

The older watched the younger stomp off. Old Kratos' eyes were glazed, and the words of his younger self reverberated inside his head:

"..._They're my friends!_..._"_

He remained in this trance for how long, he would never know. He only woke from it when he heard a faint whine. Kratos looked down to see the familiar muzzle of Noishe. The protozoan stared up at him with wet black eyes. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth. He whined again in greeting.

Kratos reached out a hand and patted the arshis on the head, almost absentmindedly. "It's good to see you again, old friend."

He felt the sensation of something cold slithering up his spine as Noishe established a telepathic link. _"It has been a while,"_ said Noishe with a whine. Then, after a pause, he asked, _"Were you fighting with yourself again?"_

Kratos sighed, "Unfortunately yes."

Noishe smiled a canine smile, _"You were very different when you were young."_

The ancient seraph's eyes glazed over, as long dormant memories started to stir inside his head. "Yes…" he whispered, but not to Noishe, "Things were different then…"

* * *

Holy Spork: Hehehe... plot, fun. Speaking of which, I just wanted to clarify something from the last chapter. 

Young Kratos: Shouldn't you have done that in the first author's note?

Spork: Yes, but I was too busy hyperventilating. Now shut up.

Anyway, I just wanted to make it clear that there isn't going to be a 'it's time to go save the world!' plot for this story, as when I try to write those kinds of stories, they tend to go bad really fast. When I said 'it's going to have a plot', I just meant that the story was moving in a set direction. But that doesn't mean that there isn't going to be plot twists abound, because I have a number of ideas that should keep the story interesting. It just means that there won't be an epic journey/battle to save the world.

Kratos : Zzzz...

Spork: The monologue's over.

Kratos: Zzzz... tuna sandwich... zzz...

Spork: Why is it that when my characters dream, they dream of food? I haven't figured that out yet...

Oh, and I have a Past and Future poll set up on my profile page. Go check it out and vote!

Please review.


	13. Strange Hobbies

Holy Spork: Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!

Young Kratos: Yikes, are you okay?

Spork: I have over 100 reviews! YAY! (-faints-)

Kratos: Uh... (-pokes her with his foot-)

Hm... she's unconscious.

Let's see what she has in her pockets... hehe...

Oh, and she doesn't own Tales of Symphonia or its characters, plot line, or locations. In fact, she doesn't even own this ten dollar bill anymore. Or these keys...

...Stop staring at me and go read the story or something.

* * *

Chapter XIII: Strange Hobbies 

Elsewhere that night, Raine was still awake. It wasn't that she couldn't sleep, she was feeling a little tired, it was that she didn't want to sleep. There simply weren't enough hours in the day. She had spent the entire day running around half the world with Genis and the others, so she hadn't any time to return to her studies until this night. She could sacrifice an hour or five of sleep for her research.

She shuffled through the pile of papers on her desk, thinking about which of her many projects she should work on. What did she feel like working on this night? Ooooh, she had so many pet projects, now, where to start? Or was she feeling _really_ ambitious, and maybe start something new? Nearby, Genis snored on, sleeping peacefully in his own bed, while his sister sat at her desk. She started flipping through some of her old notes, to see where she had left her research off the previous night, when her eye caught a particular word among her handwritten text:

_Aionis_.

Raine had wanted to study Aionis, ever since she discovered that the substance was real. Oh, there was so much it could do! And only if Yuan or Kratos would let her study them, then she could find out what effect Aionis had one one's biology! Other than the obvious anyway. It slowed their metabolism, so they stopped aging. Ooh, what an amazing substance, Aionis!

Though now that she thought about it, Aionis probably wasn't all that amazing to the people who had used it. Of the three that she knew had consumed Aionis, Yuan, Mithos, and Kratos, one had switched sides more times than she could remember, one was best described as totally out of his sad little mind, and the last most likely suffered from clinical depression. It seemed to her that Aionis was a true double-edged sword: freeing one from death, but at a price.

Then she started to wonder… was it possible to reverse the effects of Aionis?

She stood up and walked to a large bookshelf, which the Brunels had let Raine use as a miniature library. She kept all her books, notebooks, research material, and other similar materials, on those shelves. She quickly scanned the many rows and columns of books until she found what she was looking for.

She pulled out a large and heavy volume from the shelf, followed by an equally large and heavy pile of notebooks. The professor slowly carried the lot over to the desk and dumped them onto the wooden surface with a thud. Sweating slightly, she sat down and picked up a notebook and random and started flipping through the pages. The large book was none other than Boltzman's Book, the ancient book of healing magics. The notebooks contained all of Raine's translations for the Book. She had not yet translated the entire Book, only about two-thirds of it. She recalled reading a section on healing the body from damage done by foreign mana. Perhaps if she found that spell again, she could modify it to make the body reject sources of foreign mana, like Aionis.

It wasn't so much that she thought she would ever use it, or the prospect of inventing another spell. It was the chance to study that mysterious Aionis further that excited her.

Flipping through her collection of notebooks, she skimmed the pages, searching for that one particular section. When she found it she quivered with excitement, which then slowly slid into slight frustration. It was one of the sections she had not yet fully translated. She dug in the pile of papers on her desk, and as soon as she found a a pen that still had ink in it, she set to work. The room would have been completely silent if not for the near constant scratching of the pen on the paper.

As the night rolled on, fatigue started to catch up to the professor and presented her with the bill. She started to yawn lazily, and her eyelids started to droop. Eventually sleep consumed her, and she rested her head on her desk, using one of her translation notebooks as a convenient, if rather hard, pillow. As she settled down into sleep, one of her heavy translation notebooks teetered dangerously on the edge of the desk. Once Raine's hand went limp as she fell asleep, the book slid from under her hand and landed with a loud _thud_ on the floor. Raine did not stir.

But the noise alerted another inside the building.

Old Kratos had followed his younger self back to the house, ensuring that the boy wasn't planning on sneaking out. His angelic ears heard the thud inside; was something wrong? He continued to listen, but didn't hear a curse, a cry of pain, or anything. He listened to the silence, but when he heard nothing more, he went to investigate the source of the sound.

His memory lead him to a door, which he opened as quietly as he possibly could, so as not to disturb anyone who might be sleeping. He stepped inside to find Genis sleeping on a bed on the far side of the room, and Raine bent over her desk. When he walked over to her he heard her breathing. She was fine. He looked down at the floor near the desk. Lying by his feet was a heavy book that could have easily made the noise that alerted him.

It seemed that there was nothing here to concern himself with. It seemed that the noise had been caused by a book sliding off of Raine's desk. It wasn't important.

Kratos looked down at the Professor. It seemed to him that she had fallen asleep while working. She was breathing slowly and her mouth was slightly open. He judged that it was best to leave her alone.

He glanced at the papers and books spread over her desk. He noticed one volume in particular out of the corner of his eye. It was Boltzman's Book, the ancient book on healing. Next to it was an open notebook, filled with neat handwriting, some of the ink still wet. It was Raine's translation notes for the Book. It seemed that Raine had fallen asleep while translating the ancient volume.

_She certainly has some strange hobbies,_ he decided. He wondered vaguely if she was successful in whatever endeavor she had been pursuing in translating Boltzman's Book. Then, his footsteps totally silent, he left the room and the sleeping half-elves, quietly closing the door behind him.

* * *

_The next morning, around nine o'clock_… 

Genis and Lloyd looked down at the sleeping Young Kratos, who had rolled onto his stomach and was apparently unaware that half of his limbs were no longer resting on the couch.

"Why am I holding a bucket of water?" asked Lloyd, while holding said object in one hand. There were ice cubes floating serenely in the liquid.

Genis tried to suppress an evil grin when he said, "I told you! You have to see how flustered Kratos gets when he wakes up in the morning! I found out the other day that the best way to wake him up is with water."

Lloyd didn't think to ask why Genis was standing ten feet away. Lloyd looked down at Young Kratos, who was snoring. Lloyd didn't really want to hurt Kratos, but on the other hand…

_Splash!_

"AHHHHHHHH! COLD COLD COLD!"

Again, Young Kratos jumped into the air, angrily spitting water, but this time he managed to avoid tripping. He spotted Lloyd, who was holding an empty pail. The connection was obvious.

"**Are you tired of life, **_**dumbass**_**?"** snarled Kratos, dripping wet, and gripping Lloyd's collar tightly.

"N-n-n-no!" stuttered Lloyd in total terror.

The two teens turned when they heard Genis break into hysterical fits of laughter. Kratos looked back at Lloyd, "Did the **midget** put you up to this?"

"Um…" Lloyd didn't want to snitch on his best friend, but then survival instincts took over, "…Yes."

Genis stopped laughing as Kratos released Lloyd and glared an Evil Glare of DOOM at the tiny mage,**"Having fun?"**

Genis squeaked and fled the room in panic.

Lloyd, who did not wish to become a statistic, backed away from Kratos as the other boy stomped off to get some towels to dry off, and then to prepare some desperately needed coffee. Ten minutes later, Lloyd discovered a rather damp Young Kratos clutching a coffee cup as if he was trying to strangle it. Lloyd sat down opposite the other boy, unsure of what to say next. Kratos glared at Lloyd.

"What?" he demanded.

Lloyd hesitated. Maybe he should wait until Young Kratos had consumed some caffeine before continuing. He decided to speak up anyway. "Er, have you been feeling okay?"

"Fine," growled Young Kratos. He took a sip of his coffee. He made a face, "Ugh… a little too strong…"

"It's just, did I offend you?" asked Lloyd, deciding to abandon subtlety.

Kratos gave Lloyd a confused look. "Huh?"

"It's just, you've been acting funny since you found out that you're going to be my dad," pointed out Lloyd.

"Ah…"

Kratos looked uncomfortable. "It's just…" he hesitated, "My dad took off before I was even born. He might not even know I exist. You told me that your dad... that I took off after you finally met him. And..." he bit his lip. "I dunno. Just the thought that one day I would actually be a dad is just a little... weird."

"Oh..." Lloyd fidgeted, "You're... not my dad _yet_," pointed out Lloyd, "So... nothing's changed. You're still you, I'm still me. We're still friends, right?"

Kratos stared at Lloyd, then down at his coffee mug, and then back up. "Sure. Whatever you say, dumbass."

"S-stop calling me a dumbass!"

"Score a C or higher on one of Raine's tests and I'll stop calling you a dumbass."

"You're on!"

"This is going to be fun to watch."

"Hey!"

"Heh..."

Kratos smiled and returned his attention to his coffee. He frowned when he realized that it was already starting to get cold. Silence fell.

"Hey, Lloyd," started Young Kratos, suddenly serious, "What's it like… being an angel?"

Lloyd blinked. "Huh?"

"I mean, do people treat you differently?" continued Young Kratos.

Lloyd shrugged, "I don't think so," he said, "I get a few stares. But Colette and the others don't care. That's all that really matters."

Kratos looked surprised. "They really don't care?"

Lloyd grinned, "Because I'm still me," he said cheerfully, "And that's what counts!"

"Because… you're still you, huh?" said Kratos pensively, looking down at his coffee.

"What's wrong?" asked Lloyd.

Kratos looked up and shook his head, "It's nothing," he said, "I just thought that it would be great if there was someone like you back home. Then maybe things would be different."

There was an awkward pause. "You know…" started Lloyd, hesitantly, "Dad's an angel."

Kratos gave Lloyd a stunned look. "Dirk is an angel?"

"No, I mean, the other you," clarified Lloyd, "He became an angel."

Young Kratos looked shocked, almost horrified, and then he said, in a tone that sounded almost frightened, "Does that mean you're a half-angel?"

Lloyd was surprised by Kratos' reaction. He seemed almost alarmed, "No," said Lloyd, "I became an angel because I have a Cruxis Crystal, see?" he held up his left hand.

Kratos stared at it intently, "I remember that you told me that that was a Cruxis Crystal before," he started, "But I thought you said Cruxis Crystals were worn on the neck?"

"This one's special," said Lloyd, "It started out as an Exsphere, then it turned into a Cruxis Crystal. I'm the only one that has a Crystal like this. Though now that I think about it," Lloyd paused, "I dunno if I ever saw Dad's Crystal. He's got an Exsphere though." Lloyd sat in deep thought, an activity he did not normally participate in, "I just thought that it was a fake or something. Or maybe it is a Crystal… but it doesn't look right, it just looks like an Exsphere. But then, I don't think I've ever seen Dad with a normal Cruxis Crystal. But, how could he be an angel if he doesn't have a Crystal…? That's weird, I never really thought about that before… Hey, are you okay?"

"Huh?" said Young Kratos. He was fidgeting with his coffee mug, "Oh, it's n-nothing." He said dismissively.

"Are you sure?" asked Lloyd, "You look kinda nervous."

"It's nothing!" repeated Kratos. He fidgeted with the coffee mug a moment longer, and then stood up abruptly. Without another word he left the room, his pace just a little faster than it normally was.

Lloyd looked at the lonely, abandoned coffee mug. "Was the coffee really that bad?"

* * *

Yuan stared at the twisted wreckage that had once been a cell. It was now a blackened hole in the wall with some twisted iron bars that stuck out at odd angles from the ceiling and littered the floor. An unfortunate Renegade lieutenant was standing nearby, mentally preparing for his boss' reaction. 

"So…" Yuan started slowly, and with surprising calm, "You decided to hold someone prisoner here, without informing me?"

"Yes, sir," said the Renegade wretchedly.

"And what were you planning to do with him, if I had not found out?" asked Yuan, still with dead calm.

The lieutenant swallowed. "Try to find a way to rectify the situation, sir."

"And you thought you could restrain this particular man?"

"…Yes, sir…"

"You clearly failed." Yuan added, looking at the twisted, broken bars of the cell door.

"…Yes, sir…" said the lieutenant pitifully.

Yuan turned to glare at his lieutenant, "Next time," he growled, "You decide to imprison a powerful and possibly insane man, make sure you inform me. Is this understood?"

The poor lieutenant muttered one last, mournful, "Yes sir…"

* * *

The Renegade base escapee was not happy. Not in the least. How _dare_ they try to imprison _him_! 

Beneath his anger at his capture, there was a brewing confusion. The men that had captured him had been wearing Desian uniforms, but he had not recognized the building he had been imprisoned in. Had the Desians built another Ranch without his knowledge? If that was the case, then they were becoming rather bold. He had been aware that there had been some internal strife of some kind among the Desians, but perhaps he had underestimated the scale of the problem.

He had stolen a Rheaird from the base and had flown away as fast as he could with the intent of discovering the Tower of Salvation in this world, if it had appeared. However, while doing this, he had discovered something rather curious.

The geography was all wrong. It had been many, many years since he had last walked under the sun of either world, but he didn't recognize the landscape below him. Surely his memory had not degraded so far that he would forget what the worlds of Tethe'alla or Sylvarant looked like. Speaking of which, he couldn't tell which world this was. He recognized Flanoir when he had escaped from the base, but now he was flying over a desert. Wasn't the desert in Sylvarant, and Flanoir in Tethe'alla?

Whatever had happened, he was _going_ to find out what it was.

* * *

Young Kratos: So bored... couldn't care less... about plot... Huh? What's this? 

(-reaches over and knocks over a salt shaker thingie-)

W-wait, it's chapter number 13, isn't it?! It's the unlucky chapter! Oh no... what are you supposed to do for salt? Oh yeah, get a pinch and throw it over your left shoulder so it'll get in the eyes of the evil spirits or something...

Holy Spork: Guess what? I'm feeling better n - OH GOD MY EYE!

Kratos: Hey, it worked! Cool!

Spork: That's it, you're getting it now.

Kratos: Oh no...

Spork: (-dragging muse away-) Next chapter I'm getting my revenge, for the salt _and_ for stealing my stuff!

Kratos: W-wait a minute! Can't we talk about this?

Spork: No. Mwahaha!

Oh, and 10$ that I just recovered from the juvenile delinquent here says no one can correctly guess who this new Renegade Base escapee is.

Please review.

**Edited 3/13/08 - Cleaned up typos and added some description, changed the passage with the escapee AGAIN. Important edit: Renegade base escapee no longer hears voices. **


	14. Play Hooky

This is a really long author's note, but it's important.

Basically, I've messed up on a couple of things.

First of all, I made a mistake with the function of Aionis and Cruxis Crystals. When I went back and checked, it turned out that the Crystals probably _do_ grant immortality, and not Aionis, as I thought and stated in a previous chapter. This really bothers me, because this means I really messed up... or just wasn't paying attention when I played the game. I'd correct this, except some plot points that I would like to keep become, well, pointless. I can use what's left, but the thing is... I can't go into specifics because that would be a great big spoiler, but the story would lose some elements that I feel are important.

So I'm going to keep writing the story as it is, with Aionis granting immortality, because I assume most of my readers don't care if this story is slightly AU.

If that's the case, then thanks so much for putting up with my mistakes.

If that's not the case... I'm sorry, but I can't find a way to fix it to my satisfaction.

Secondly... I more or less decided that I didn't like where the story was going. Since the actual chapter 14 was going to be **really** plot-y and have a couple of important plot twists, I wanted to be really sure that I was happy with it before I posted it. So I got rid of a large chunk of my old outline and wrote a new one. Meaning what I had already written for the next chapter was useless and I had to start from scratch. The next chapter will still be epic-ly plot-y, and with some actual action, but it will take longer to write.

Most of what I've already posted is still good, but I do have one retraction I need to make: the Renegade base escapee in the last chapter. I'm completely changing him. In the original version he heard voices, in the new version, he doesn't. I wanted to make sure that everyone got that. I ended up not liking the whole hearing voices thing because I thought it was unimportant and unnecessary. So I fixed it.

Another thing to add to the barrel of fun: I'm going through a minor personal crisis, so I can't really promise speedy or consistent updates anymore. Personal life, even when it's sucky, takes priority over fan fiction.

One last announcement: Because of the new beta reader and DocX stuff, I'm looking for a beta reader. I'm not terribly comfortable asking around (my own fault) so I wanted to ask here if there is anyone interested in beta reading _Past and Future_, and/or some of my other stuff. (i.e. _i n f i n i t y_, stuff for _His Father and He_, or other upcoming oneshots.) Please send me a PM if you are.

To make up for my lack of updates, the possibly suckiness of ones that follow, and for this really long rant, I'm giving you an extra chapter filled with pointless fun.

I'd call it a filler, except fillers are the bane of my existence, so it's an extra chapter. It is still continuous with the story though.

* * *

Chapter XIV: Play Hooky 

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the dogs were snoozing... it was a perfect day when nothing terrible should happen.

Lo, the irony.

"Professor Sage is planning _what_?"

Lloyd stared at Genis in mild horror, hoping the news the little half-elf had just relayed was somehow wrong.

"Raine wants to start teaching again," Genis repeated, "I think she's bored."

"Bored?" Lloyd said, appalled, "Things haven't been boring at all! At least not since the other Kratos showed up."

Genis shrugged, "You know what Raine's like. She'll slap us until we're raw if we don't show up."

Lloyd rubbed the back of his head, "At least she isn't planing to cook anything for us..."

Genis said nothing.

Lloyd's eyes widened in horror, "Please tell me she isn't..."

"She didn't say yea or nay, so I'm not sure."

Lloyd blinked. Genis sighed, "She didn't say if she would or not."

"Oh... okay."

Elsewhere, another unfortunate individual was receiving similar news.

Raine had cornered her prey when he had tried to sneak himself another cup of coffee. After Young Kratos bluntly denied that he had a caffeine addiction, Raine gave him a long and horrifying lecture about the effects of overconsumption of caffeine. When she realized that Young Kratos was completely unfazed by the thought that he might one day die of hypertension, ("I already know I'm going to live to be old enough to end up in a museum, so why bother worrying?" he had argued) she decided to give him the news she had come to deliver.

"As you're going to stay here for the time being," started Raine, "We should at least try to figure out what the next step should be."

"Huh?" Young Kratos blinked, "Next step? What do you mean by that?"

"What should happen to you if you cannot return to your time soon," explained Raine, "If you can't return home for days or weeks, we should at least give you something to do."

"_Weeks_?!" panicked Kratos, "I might not go home for _weeks_?!"

"We have to acknowledge that possibility," said Raine sensibly.

Kratos groaned in despair, "Weeks..."

"It's because of such an attitude that I feel I should have you and the others resume regular classes with me, as we don't seem to be going anywhere until we can send you home."

Kratos was stunned, "You're sending me to _school_?"

Even though he was a few inches taller than she was, she managed to give him a look that suggested she was looking down at him, "Is there a problem?"

"Uh... no," said Kratos, backing away a step.

"Good," said Raine with the authority of a school teacher, "Genis and the others will be coming as well, if that is any consolation. And," she pointed at the mug filled with coffee in Kratos' hand, "You have to get rid of that before you come to class." She turned and walked away, leaving Kratos to feel that he had just been sentenced to life in jail.

_I'm practically living under the thumb of a mad school teacher_, the boy thought,_ Oh joy._

* * *

It took the bored professor only about an hour to prepare a lesson plan and the schoolhouse for her students/victims. Raine required Lloyd, Genis, Colette, and Young Kratos to come under punishment of slaps. The Tethe'allans were exempted, as Raine said that she had no jurisdiction over them because they were not her students before the journey began. When Young Kratos commented that she had no power over him for the same reason, she threatened to slap him again. This shut him up. 

Lloyd, Genis, and Colette had come to the schoolhouse as Raine had instructed. She was already there, up at the chalkboard when they arrived. They sat down near each other, unaware that these were the same seats they had sat in when they had attended regular classes with Raine before.

"...Wasn't Kratos supposed to be here too?" Lloyd asked, looking around the mostly empty room.

"Which one?" Genis asked uncertainly.

This question soon became moot.

There was a loud commotion coming from the hall outside the classroom proper. As the people in the room were familiar with the 'current situation', the noise and its source was immediately identifiable.

"I wasn't gonna play hooky, I swear!"

"I find that highly unlikely."

"Let me go you mad old coot!"

"As you wish."

Old Kratos opened the door, Young Kratos slung over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. The older threw the younger into the room, with complete disregard for the younger Kratos' comfort. The younger landed with a thud and a loud example from his repertoire of rude four-letter words.

"I believe you were missing this," said the older Kratos to Raine, indicating the younger with a wave of an arm, "I thought you might dislike truants."

The younger sat up, rubbing his head where he had hit it on the floor, "What was that for?!" he demanded of his older self.

The older gave the younger a look devoid of pity. "I'll leave you to Raine."

Old Kratos walked out of the schoolhouse without another word, leaving an awkward since in his wake. Young Kratos looked nervously around the room. Everyone was staring at him.

"Uh..." he started uncertainly, "...Hi...?"

Raine sighed, _At least Lloyd didn't have to be dragged to class_... "Kratos, take a seat."

Young Kratos did so, while carefully not looking anyone in the eye. Genis snickered.

"Now that everyone is here," Raine started, giving Kratos an extra glare (Old Kratos had been right, Raine _detested_ truants), "We will begin the lesson with a math review..."

Lloyd and the others jumped through the hoops Raine threw at them without question. She had trained them well. The class generally went well, Colette and Genis handled the work with little trouble, while Kratos the Truant, and Lloyd the Idiot struggled along.

At one point, late in the class, Kratos looked over at Lloyd, to see how he was doing, to find that the other boy was no longer conscious. Lloyd's head was propped up by one arm, his mouth open and his eyes closed. He was sleeping. He wasn't snoring, so it must have been some strange sixth sense that told Raine, when she had her back to him, that Lloyd was snoozing during her class.

Raine, in her righteous fury, threw her eraser at him.

"AH!"

Lloyd fell out of his seat, coughing as he inhaled chalk dust. Kratos laughed at his friend's pain.

The eraser was followed by a piece of chalk.

"OW!"

Kratos soon shared Lloyd's fate, though he was luckier in the sense that he didn't have to breathe chalk dust. Genis tried to hide his snickers from Raine. He was the luckiest, as Raine had run out of ammunition. She made a mental note to 'talk' to her brother about his behavior later.

* * *

_A few hours later_... 

"FREEDOM!"

Young Kratos ran outside, feeling like he had seen the sun for the first time in twenty years.

"I thought it was fun!" said Colette cheerfully.

"Fun..." Kratos rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you being a little over dramatic?" Genis asked. The question was rhetorical.

"No," Kratos said, answering the question anyways, "How do you people _live_ with that woman?"

"I am your teacher now," said a frightening voice from behind, "And as such, you will call me 'Professor Sage' or just 'Professor' from now on, and not 'that woman', understood?"

Kratos turned slowly to face Raine, who had her arms crossed.

"Uh..." he quavered, "...Sure."

Raine smiled. She was content.

* * *

**A/N:** ...And that's all I have. 

Please review. I promise the next chapter will be a real chapter.


	15. Think Like A Dog

Spork: Here comes the plot stuff I promised last chapter.

Young Kratos: Great – OH GODS, WHAT'S HE DOING HERE?!

Old Kratos: ...I would like to know as well.

Spork: Remember that poll I posted a while ago? Well, I have to close it now, for reasons that will soon become obvious. Anyway, I thought it would be kinda fun to announce the results here. So I dragged you both here this time.

The question was: Past and Future readers: Which Kratos do you like more?

The results are:

The younger - 8 votes (61 percent of the total votes)

The older - 5 votes (38 percent of the total votes)

Y. Kratos: HA! I WIN!

O. Kratos: ...

Spork: ...I could write a whole essay about how you and Volt are similar, you know that?

O. Kratos: ...

Spork: Exactly.

I honestly have no idea how people will respond to this and the next couple chapters, so I will now proceed to flee to an underground bunker at an undisclosed location, where I will stay during the next... oh... two, three chapters. Hopefully bomb shelters are angry mob-proof.

* * *

Chapter XV: Think Like A Dog

Yuan cursed under his breath all during the flight from the Flanoir Base to Iselia. Could nothing go as planned? Could something, just for once, go the way it was supposed to, _without complications_? Or had his life been jinxed since he had started the Renegades? First, when he first founded the Renegades, there had been that whole mess with the electrical wiring in the Flanoir base (he really didn't want to relive that, oh the horror...), then the unsealing of the summon spirits to separate the worlds; that had been a spectacular failure... Then Young Kratos appeared, and now _this_. He supposed that Mithos could somehow be haunting him from beyond the grave, but that seemed a little extreme. Then again, it wasn't as if Mithos had anything resembling restraint. Or sanity for that matter.

He nearly crashed his Rheaird in his haste to land the craft. After disentangling himself from the bushes he had fallen into with a long and colorful tapestry of curses, he ran off in the direction of Iselia.

As soon as he reached the village proper, it did not take him long to find Old Kratos. He was with Noishe, who was sitting at the angel's feet. Yuan didn't know if they were talking, if they were, Yuan's sudden appearance interrupted it. They both looked up to see the disheveled half-elf almost stagger up to them.

"Kratos," panted Yuan, "We need to talk. It's important."

Old Kratos noticed the twigs and leaves in Yuan's hair and sticking to his armor and cape. As Yuan had come some distance, and in obvious haste, it was likely to be important. Kratos nodded. "Very well. What has happened?"

Yuan straightened up and tried to recover some lost dignity. "It seems that some of my men," he said, with poorly concealed anger. "Decided to withhold some very important information from me."

This did not sound good.

"What kind of information?" asked Old Kratos.

"The accident that brought Young Kratos into this time," Yuan began. "Was not the first time something of that nature had happened."

Kratos barely managed to conceal his surprise. "What?"

"That was what Origin was talking about when he spoke of mana _drains_ straining the tree," continued Yuan."Apparently it was these 'accidents' that required all that mana."

"How often has this happened before?"

Yuan had been dreading that question. "...Four times total." Then he added quickly, before Kratos could say anything, "I don't know if this necessarily means that there are now even more of you running around, or if maybe there were others brought into this time as well... I don't know. My men say that someone did appear each time, though they can't say for sure if it was the same person."

"How did you discover this?"

Another question Yuan had been dreading.

"My men managed to detain one of the people that appeared during one of these 'accidents'," he said. "He escaped from the Flanoir Base a few hours ago."

Sensing that he was not going to like the answer, Kratos dared to ask, "Who was it? And from what time?"

Yuan told him. Kratos remained impassive.

"Are you sure?"

Yuan shook his head. "No, as I wasn't there I can't say for sure."

Kratos seemed to consider this. "Where do you think this person went after he fled the base?"

"Westward."

"That does not narrow the possibilities down too far..." thought Kratos aloud.

Yuan sighed. "No, it doesn't."

"Do you need my assistance in recapturing this... individual?"

Yuan hesitated. "Only if you think you can handle it."

"Handling it will not be an issue," said Kratos, undeterred. "Is my assistance is required, I will offer it."

Yuan considered Kratos for a moment. He seemed genuinely untroubled by the prospect of facing this most recent escapeé. Yuan saw nothing to suggest that the human was lying.

"We should leave as soon as possible," said Yuan. "We will start from the Flanoir Base and fly west from there." He paused and then added, "Are you sure you do not remember any of these events? Nothing at all?"

Kratos shook his head, "I still remember nothing."

This was slowly changing from just a white lie to a blatant one.

If he thought about it, then it had started after releasing Origin's seal. Unable to follow the others to Derris-Kharlan, Kratos had remained behind in Sylvarant. He had spent a lot of his time in the Iselia forest, finding the solitude calming. It helped him think, to decide what would become of him when Cruxis was gone. At first he thought it was just nostalgia. He had lived a very long time, but not much of his life he considered worth remembering. What came to him then were more vague recollections of emotions than memories of specific events. He thought maybe he was unconsciously recalling his life with Anna, yearning for that old, and almost pure, life back. Nostalgia, nothing more.

It was only after he had returned from Derris-Kharlan, and started to watch his younger self, that he suspected that maybe it wasn't nostalgia after all.

He didn't know why he knew they were memories from this time period, they just _were_. Kratos thought it didn't matter anyway, and they weren't so much memories as disconnected bits and pieces that didn't fit together. It was like he was looking through a badly compiled photo album of people he only vaguely knew.

"I still expect to be told if you do remember anything of importance," Yuan reiterated; it had been a very long day for the half-elf.

Kratos nodded. "I will be sure to do so."

"Dad!"

Kratos turned and saw Lloyd jogging up to him. Lloyd stopped when he saw Yuan, who seemed annoyed.

"What's going on?" Lloyd asked.

"I need to leave Iselia," Kratos said.

"Where are you going?" asked Lloyd, glancing over at Yuan, who was more than impatient to leave.

"Yuan has discovered some... additional complications," said Kratos cryptically, not looking directly at Lloyd. "He needs my assistance in dealing with them."

"Oh..." Lloyd paused, "But you are coming back, right?"

"It shouldn't take too long," said Kratos with a nod, "I will return as soon as possible."

"...All right," said Lloyd quietly.

Kratos looked back at his son, "I promise."

Lloyd nodded. "Okay."

Kratos left without another word, following Yuan to where he had Rheairds waiting. Lloyd watched Kratos and Yuan leave wordlessly. Lloyd heard a whine from somewhere to his left. He looked down to see Noishe, who nuzzled his hand.

"Hey Noishe," Lloyd scratched the big 'dog' behind the ears. Noishe half-closed his eyes, enjoying the attention.

"Do you think... Da – Kratos is avoiding me?" Lloyd asked. He was nervous about revealing such insecurities, even to Noishe.

Noishe seemed to disagree, as he whined and nuzzled Lloyd's hand again.

"I dunno, it's just, we haven't really talked at all since he got back," Lloyd continued, unsure if he were still talking to Noishe or just venting his own feelings. "It's like we can't just talk anymore. It wasn't really a problem back during the regeneration journey, when he was just a weird guy who didn't like to talk much, but was like a big brother to me. If I was worried about something he'd listen to me, or give me advice, or just tell me to get over it and keep moving on. Now that I know he's my dad... it's like there's a brick wall or something."

Noishe's ears drooped, as if affected by Lloyd's melancholy. A thought struck Lloyd, "Do you think... I remind him of Mom?" Lloyd asked. "And I make him feel guilty about... about killing her?"

Noishe whined again, as if trying to reassure Lloyd that he wasn't doing anything wrong. It didn't work. Lloyd just walked wordlessly away, his head bowed.

Noishe watched as Lloyd walked away, feeling like he was watching something important fall apart. He growled to himself. What was it with these humans and their utter inability to communicate? Noishe tries to give them a helpful nudge in the right direction, and what do they do? Wander off, as if his opinion didn't matter. Protozoans were the oldest race on the planet, but if it has a dog's body, it must think like a dog. Sure, Noishe took pleasure in some uniquely canine activities... but that wasn't the point. The point was, he was older even than Kratos, and that had to count for something.

...At least, if these numskulls wouldn't listen to his advice, such as it was, then maybe there was someone else who might need it.

Noishe trotted down the beach, leaving lines of paw prints behind him, following the sound of music playing. It was not hard to guess where the younger Kratos had gone when Noishe had not found him in Iselia. Libra had been a port city, Kratos grew up near the sea. It was unsurprising that Kratos had learned to associate the ocean with home. Noishe eventually found Young Kratos sitting near the shoreline, leaning against a rock, playing his harmonica, his eyes closed. The surf slid up the sand, paused inches from his feet, as if considering dragging the boy under, and then retreated. Kratos stopped playing and looked up when he heard Noishe trot up to him.

"Hi," said Kratos lamely, waving an arm.

Noishe sat down by the rock, and watched the waves for a while. Then Noishe rested his head on Kratos' lap and looked up at the boy with large black eyes. He whined.

Kratos put a hand on the protozoan's head and said, "I don't really want to talk right now." He started to scratch Noishe behind his big ears absentmindedly. Young Kratos had never really liked animals, but he felt at ease with Noishe. Maybe it was because Noishe hadn't tried to maul or devour him yet.

"...Hey, Noishe," started Young Kratos, "I just need to get some stuff off my chest. I just need someone to listen for a minute."

Noishe looked up at him, raising his ears a little to show that he was listening. Still scratching Noishe, Kratos started talking.

"It's just... I dunno... I don't know what to make of everything that's happened. Everything was so simple in Libra. All I had to do was try to not flunk my classes so I could graduate and maybe get a job that doesn't completely suck. And all I really had to worry about was staying away from people I had pissed off, crazy people, guys armed with lead pipes, or crazy people I'd pissed off who were armed with lead pipes."

Noishe couldn't help but shake his head. This boy could get into some extraordinary trouble.

"Then I got zapped here... and I don't know what to do anymore," continued Kratos, who hadn't missed Noishe's disapproval, but decided it was best to ignore him, "I mean, I'm _four thousand years_ in the future. What am I supposed to do? What happens if something goes wrong and I _can't_ go home? Will I just be stuck here in the future? How would that even work? Hell, I even met my older self! What am I supposed to think about that?

"I look at him and I can't help but think... am I really going to turn into that guy? Am I really going to turn into a person that would support something like Cruxis, and try to kill Colette and Lloyd and everyone else? When I go home... _if_ I can go home, is there a chance that I can change things, and make things right, or is everything going to go wrong anyway, and I'll still end up like him? I don't even know if I'd really be me anymore. I mean, the older me is so different... would I really still be the same person? It's just... damn it!" His shout made Noishe jump, "This whole thing is so damn confusing, and there's nothing I can do about it, and why am I even talking to you?!" demanded Young Kratos suddenly. "I don't even _like _animals! So why...?" He sighed and leaned his head back against the rough surface of the rock. Noishe whined and nuzzled his arm in an effort to comfort the boy. Kratos glanced back down at Noishe, and patted him on the head.

"...Thanks," he said, a little sheepishly. "For putting up with me."

Noishe licked Kratos' face. "Ugh!" moaned Kratos, wiping the dog slobber off on his sleeve, "I'm still not used to that…" Noishe grinned a canine grin. It included many sharp, white teeth. Kratos flinched. "I'm not used to that either..." Noishe whined, still 'grinning' like a crocodile. Kratos lightly punched Noishe's nose. "Smug mutt."

Noishe snorted and glared at the boy. Kratos rolled his eyes, and stood up. "C'mon, let's head back." Noishe whined and stood up, trotting off further down the beach, following close behind Kratos.

To get back to Iselia, they had to walk through the forest again, much to Kratos' displeasure.

"Man, I hate this forest," complained Kratos, glowering at the trees as if they had personally done him wrong. "How do people live in a mess like this?"

Noishe didn't answer, but trotted ahead, ignoring the boy behind him.

"I feel loved," muttered Kratos, quickening his pace to catch up to Noishe.

The path they followed went past the remains of Libra, which Kratos bluntly ignored. Noishe didn't. He stopped in the middle of the path, and looked back at the ruins. Kratos followed his gaze, and saw someone standing among the ruins with his back to Young Kratos and Noishe. It was a man with auburn hair wearing blue and white. It looked just like the older Kratos.

Noishe's ears stood straight up, and Young Kratos thought he could hear him growling.

"What's wrong?"

"_I don't know,"_ confessed the protozoan, _"But something doesn't smell right here."_

"I think you're overreacting."

Noishe growled a little. _"Don't underestimate the power of the nose."_

Kratos rolled his eyes, "Yes, Master Noishe, I shall learn the ways of the sniffing dog – "

The protozoan growled again. _"You should learn to respect your elders, boy."_

"You really think I'll start to 'respect my elders' because you tell me to?"

"_No, I don't, but it would have been irresponsible of me not to chide you."_

Kratos paused for a moment, "Just how old are you anyway?"

"_That is irrelevant."_

"That old huh?" He shrugged, and then tilted his head in the direction of the older Kratos, who had not moved at all since Noishe and the younger Kratos had arrived, "Seriously though, what could possibly go wrong?" said Kratos shrugging again.

"_Those words are only spoken by someone who _wants_ something bad to happen."_

"Nah, that's just superstition. Besides, what would the old fart do to me? He knows that if I died then he'd poof into nonexistence."

"_That's not the point_..._"_

Kratos sighed. "Look, just to prove to you that I'm right, I'm gonna go over there, and show you that it's just the old me being all mopey again."

Ignoring Noishe's protests, Kratos went ahead and walked up to the older Kratos, who hadn't seemed to have noticed that he wasn't alone anymore. Noishe backed up deeper into the trees, hoping that he wouldn't immediately be spotted. If something went wrong he would run back to Iselia to get help.

"Hey," Young Kratos said to the older Kratos, "What are you d – "

Something slammed into his chest and knocked him over, and when he regained his bearings it was to find a sword pointed at his throat. The older Kratos looked down at the younger with quiet hostility.

Noishe had been right.

Something was wrong.


	16. A Blur of Movement

Young Kratos: Um... hi.

Anyway, Holy Spork is still hiding in her bomb shelter, so I'm left to take care of the author's notes. Actually, she bribed me, but that doesn't really matter.

And she doesn't own stuff.

* * *

Chapter XVI: A Blur Of Movement

"Who are you?" demanded the older Kratos, a hint of a snarl in his voice.

The younger was almost paralyzed with fear; this guy might just kill him! He opened his mouth, ready to spout a lie, but realized that a lie would not save him. "I'm Kratos Aurion!" said the younger desperately, "I-I'm you!"

The older stared suspiciously at the younger in obvious disbelief. "You're lying."

"N-no!" The younger desperately tried to think of a way to convince the older that he wasn't lying. "Uh... were you just minding your own business, and then... uh, there was a weird flash of light or something, and then you ended up in a military base, right? That happened to me too!"

The older Kratos' eyes widened, but he quickly regained his composure. What the younger had described was exactly what had happened to the older. He had been on Derris-Kharlan, then suddenly he wasn't. He had appeared in what looked like a Desian base, but he didn't recognize it, and they had subdued him while he was still in a state of shock. It was only with quite a lot of guile and luck he had been able to escape. "What is happening?" he asked. "Why am I here?"

"I-I dunno," the younger said, "I think it was just a mistake. An accident."

"What's the date?" The older asked.

The younger told him, and the older frowned, clearly displeased.

"Three thousand years... so long..." the older murmured to himself. He considered this for a long while, not lowering his sword, giving the younger no chance to escape. The older eventually returned his attention to the younger.

"What happened to Cruixs?" demanded the older. He had been unable to find the Tower of Salvation anywhere, or any Desian Human Ranches. Perhaps this was the prospering world?

"G-gone!" said the older, "They're all gone! Derris-Kharlan or whatever floated away. The angels are all gone!"

This clearly surprised the older. "How could they...?"

"Mithos died," added the younger, "He was killed! That's how Cruxis was stopped!"

The younger knew he had made a mistake when the older gave him a dark glare, and growled, "What do you mean Mithos was killed?"

The younger swallowed, but was too scared to say anything.

"Who killed Lord Yggdrasill?" demanded the older, with more of a threat in his voice.

"I don't know," the younger confessed, "I just know he's dead!"

This wasn't true. The younger knew Lloyd had been the one that had killed Mithos, but he wasn't going to tell the older Kratos this.

The older couldn't believe his ears. Mithos... was dead? His student, his friend, was dead? Not just dead, but killed. Cruxis was gone, and Mithos was dead. What had happened? Three thousand years was a very long time, anything could have happened. What was he supposed to do in a world in which Cruxis didn't exist?

The older sheathed his sword. The younger, after a hesitant pause, stood up, but noticed that the older was still giving him a very unfriendly look.

"Tell me more about this time period," said the older. "Tell me everything you know."

* * *

Noishe bolted out of the trees, sniffing and looking desperately for Lloyd or any of the others. He knew that time was of the essence, that Young Kratos would likely get himself killed. Only the gods know what would happen after that. He quickly picked up Lloyd's scent, and while sniffing the air viciously, followed the trail back to Iselia.

He received many startled stares when he entered the village, still searching for Lloyd. Noishe didn't stop running, even after he found Lloyd, with Genis and Colette, who were relating to Sheena the horrors of Raine the Mad School Teacher. Sheena was having a good chuckle at all of this. Noishe galloped up to Lloyd and the others, barking loudly to get their attention. They looked down at the panting protozoan, puzzled by Noishe's behavior. Noishe whined.

"What is it Noishe?" asked Lloyd.

Noishe barked and then ran back in the direction of the trees. He turned around again, and when he realized that Lloyd had not followed, he started barking again.

"Noishe, what's wrong?" asked Lloyd again, baffled by the protozoan's behavior.

Noishe rolled his eyes and trotted back up to Lloyd. His ears drooped, and the look on his canine face suggested that he was concentrating. This only confused Lloyd more.

"What are you – ? " He yelped as something cold suddenly slid up his back, and he had the eerie sensation that there was someone else inside his head.

Noishe gave an annoyed whine.

_"Damn it boy, it's not that hard to figure out!"_

Lloyd froze. He had heard Noishe's whine, but inside his head the sound had been translated into words he understood.

"W… what?" Lloyd blinked.

Noishe rolled his eyes. _"Why is it that everyone I talk to acts like this the first time?" _he whined exasperatedly.

"Noishe? Are you… talking?" asked Lloyd.

"He's not talking," said Genis slowly, "He's just whining like he always does."

"_Lloyd, listen to me,"_started Noishe.

"He is talking!" insisted Lloyd. "Didn't you hear?"

Lloyd received a number of worried looks.

_"We don't have time for this!"_whined Noishe, trying to put as much urgency in his 'voice' as possible.

"I swear I'm not crazy!" protested Lloyd.

"Right now Lloyd, you're sounding crazy," said Genis, giving Lloyd a worried look.

_"Lloyd."_

"He just called my name! Didn't you hear?"

"He's just whining!"

_"Lloyd!"_

"He did it again!"

"What are you talking about?!"

_"LLOYD!"_

"AH!" Lloyd flinched, "You don't have to shout!"

"HE'S WHINING YOU IDIOT!" screamed Genis.

_"The boy-Kratos is in trouble!"_ 'shouted' Noishe, _"Get your friends and follow me! Quickly!"_ Then Noishe turn and ran back at the trees without looking back.

"Wait a minute!" shouted Lloyd, running after the protozoan, "What kind of trouble? How come you can talk all of a sudden? WAIT FOR ME!"

"LLOYD!" yelled Genis at the top of his lungs, as his human friend ran off after the protozoan, "What's gotten into him?"

"What if Noishe was talking to him?" Colette suggested. "He is a smart dog after all!"

"...I don't think that's what Lloyd was talking about..." Genis sighed.

"We shouldn't just stand here and talk about it!" said Sheena, starting after Lloyd, "We gotta go after him!"

So they ran after Lloyd, who was still running after Noishe, who was the only one who knew where he was going. Noishe bolted down the forest path, following the trail he had taken from the ruins to Iselia. He didn't even look back to see if Lloyd and the others were still following as he came to the ruins. As soon as he reached the ruins, Noishe ran off the path and into the broken remains of the city, stopping to growl at the older Kratos with open hostility.

The older Kratos seemed shocked at the sight of the angered protozoan. "Noishe...?"

Lloyd and the others came up behind Noishe, but stopped when they spotted the older Kratos. Lloyd could only stare. What was Noishe so mad about? Nothing seemed wrong... "What...?"

"He's not your old man!" Young Kratos shouted, "He's still loyal to Cruxis – !"

"Be silent," said the older, silencing the younger.

The older looked at the newcomers. He wasn't a fool, not by any standards. His younger self seemed to have been addressing the teen in red when he had spoken. _'Not your old man'? Does that mean...?_

_"Lloyd, this Kratos is different,"_ said Noishe to Lloyd, _"He is like the boy-Kratos, from a different time, from when he was still loyal to Cruxis."_

Lloyd looked back up at the older Kratos – Cruxis Kratos.

"Who are you?" Cruxis Kratos asked Lloyd and the others.

"We aren't here to hurt you," said Colette, unsure of what to think about this situation.

"A very ambiguous statement," Kratos observed, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword, "Who are you?"

"We just want to help," Lloyd said. He took a step forward, but Kratos was going to take no chances. He drew his sword, the Flamberge, and dropped into a fighting stance. The others drew their weapons as well, growing tense.

Lloyd hesitated, his fingers just touching the hilts of his own swords. _I don't want to have to fight Dad again..._

"Maybe we can talk about this?" Lloyd suggested, sounding more confident than he felt.

"Did one of you kill Lord Yggdrasill?" demanded Kratos.

Lloyd's stomach clenched. _He just said 'Lord Yggdrasill'..._

"We don't want to fight," Lloyd said, trying to swallow his fear, "We just want to talk."

Kratos glanced suspiciously at the others behind Lloyd. He clearly didn't believe that they were there to talk.

"What year is it?" Kratos asked.

Sheena told him the date, hoping that if she and the others remained calm, they could diffuse the situation, "We think you might've been taken into the future," Sheena said, trying to sound as confident.

The older Kratos glanced over at the younger. So he had been telling the truth. The older returned his attention to Lloyd and the others.

"What would 'cooperation' entail?" he questioned suspiciously. He wanted to return to his own time, but he had no reason to trust these people. They could simply want to imprison or kill him.

"Well, you'd have to put your sword away, for starters," Sheena said.

Cruxis Kratos did not sheath his sword.

"...And," continued Sheena, her confidence cracking, "You will have to come with us."

"And go where?" Kratos said, suspicious, "Where would you take me?"

"We'll find a place where you can stay until we can send you home, back to your own time," Sheena continued. "As long as you don't try to hurt anyone, everything will be okay."

Kratos was uncertain. They seemed sincere, but... "What happened to Cruxis?" he asked, a little more hesitantly than he wanted.

He just could not believe Cruxis was gone, that everything he had lived and worked for had just vanished...

"Cruxis is gone," Lloyd said, "I'm sorry Mithos is dead, I wish there could have been another way, and if there had been another way, I swear I would have done it. I didn't want to kill him – "

Immediately Lloyd knew he had made a mistake.

"You killed Mithos?" Kratos almost snarled rather than said the words.

There was a quiet, but intense hate in Kratos' eyes. It was a look Lloyd had only ever seen once before, when they had fought Kvar, so long ago. But to be receiving that kind of hate from his own father –

There was a blur of movement, and a flash of color. Lloyd's guard only just held as the Flamberge came down on his head. Lloyd heard the others shout his name, but nothing could make it through his blank terrified mind. Cruxis Kratos had really just tried to kill him!

"Thunder blade!"

"Ray satellite!"

Kratos easily evaded the spell from Genis, and Colette's chakrams. He moved to attack them, but Sheena attacked him with a Pyre Seal and tried to fend him off.

Young Kratos found that all he could do now was watch helplessly from the sidelines as his friends fought. He hated just standing there, but what could he do? He wouldn't be any good in a normal sword fight, much less this fight; Cruxis Kratos didn't have to hold back, these people meant nothing to him, while Lloyd and the others could not risk killing the older Kratos. If Lloyd or anyone else called for help, they were so isolated in the forest no one would hear them.

The Young Kratos hated being the only one that couldn't fight, he could throw a punch, sure, and he had a knife, but he barely knew how to use it. He wouldn't be any use here. It didn't matter who they were fighting, it was that awful sense of helplessness that he hated.

He was useless.

That wasn't strictly true. He could...

He closed his eyes. The words came to him effortlessly, summoned from some hidden part of his being. He felt the power grow inside of him.

"Sacred wings..."

Those who could sense magic and mana turned to him, and stared at the shining blue wings that grew from his back.

"Come forth and smite my enemies..."

The half-angel opened his eyes.

"ANGEL FEATHERS!"


	17. Ugly Wings

Young Kratos: Wait a minute, where am I? Oh no, isn't this...?

Holy Spork: Guess what? WE'RE BACK!

Kratos: NOOOOOOOO!

Spork: Yeah, this story is now alive again! It was a pain in the butt to write, seeing as one of the characters snap, that was hard. Then, there's probably one of the most annoying fight scenes to write ever in the history of ever, and I'm already pretty bad with fight scenes to start with...

Kratos: No... I was enjoying freedom...

Spork: I wanted to specially thank everyone who offered their support when I wasn't feeling good. And now that I'm done rambling, here's the long-awaited (real) chapter 17!

... And as a reminder, most of this chapter takes place at the ruins of Libra in the Iselia forest. Lloyd, Genis, Colette, Sheena, and Young Kratos were fighting Cruxis Kratos.

...I'll shut up now, honestly

* * *

Chapter XVII: Ugly Wings

_Many miles away..._

Two Rheairds flew over endless forests. Their pilots were each engrossed in his own thoughts. On Yuan's mind was the... escalating problem he was facing. There were now _four _individuals running around that did not belong in this time, and he had only yet identified _two_ - Young Kratos and this latest escapee. The pair of them alone were enough trouble to last several decades, Yuan felt. Yet he could not help but wonder where, or who, the other two were...

Flying on the second Rheaird, Old Kratos felt old familiar feelings of guilt and shame preying on him. He recalled the numbness that had settled over him when Yuan first informed him of this latest... incident, that another of his past selves had appeared. Worst of all, this one was still loyal to Cruxis.

What was he supposed to think? Soon he would have to face the embodiment of all his sins, of his blindness to Mithos' brutality and madness. Could he do that, defeat something like that? Or would that be meaningless, was he placing too much meaning in a single event that possessed no depth? What could possibly be gained by -

...And then he _remembered_.

Yuan turned and saw Kratos flying off back in the direction of Iselia at very high speed. With a curse Yuan turned and followed him.

What the hell was the mad human thinking?

* * *

The action came without conscious thought. There was only a problem, then a solution.

"ANGEL FEATHERS!"

A cascade of blue mana-feathers flew through the air and stuck Cruxis Kratos, who shouted in surprise.

Lloyd and the others stumbled back, away from Cruxis Kratos. Angel feathers? How had Young Kratos been able to cast angel feathers? Well, they could all see the boy's bright, blue wings, but...

The other Kratos flinched as the spell struck him. He swiped at the feathers with his free hand, cursing under his breath. He hadn't expected his younger self to attack him, or in such a manner, the stupid boy!

The younger felt the spell stealing away his mana, it felt like his life was being chipped away, and taking more than he could afford to lose. With a gasp of surprise and pain, he fell to his knees, his wings turning gray along the edges and losing their brightness. He heard someone shout his name before falling to the ground, gasping for breath.

Immediately all the mana-feathers his spell had created vanished.

The older Kratos recovered quickly; it had not been a very strong spell. He returned his attention to Lloyd and the others, who were staring at the younger, still stunned by what happened. How could he possibly be - ?

Their thoughts were interrupted when Cruxis Kratos attacked Sheena, and all the others leaped to her aid. Kratos spun around, swinging his sword in an arc, making the others jump back to avoid the blow. Colette couldn't keep her balance, stumbled and fell, just as Kratos raised his sword to strike her. Lloyd shouted his friend's name, running to her, only to find that Kratos' attack twisted to attack him instead. He only just managed to get his guard back up.

Lloyd staggered backwards, unable to take his eyes away from Kratos' cold stare.

_He really isn't holding back!_

Lloyd blocked another swipe that would have otherwise been fatal, but failed to see his attacker's other hand come up to punch him in the stomach. Lloyd gasped, dropping his swords in shock and pain, and was promptly knocked over by his attacker.

Lloyd fell heavily to the ground with a shout of surprise. He looked up to find a sword pointed at his throat.

Cruxis Kratos hesitated, and suddenly he seemed uncertain.

_...'Not your old man, he's still loyal to Cruxis'...? This is supposed to be the future... Is this boy my - ?_

"STOP!"

There was a loud clang and Lloyd flinched at the noise, closing his eyes. When there was no sudden pain, he slowly opened them again, and was met with a very strange sight.

There were suddenly two identical Kratoses, of the same physical age and wearing the same Cruxis outfit, staring at each other. Only one looked astonished.

"Who are - ?"

His sentence was cut off as the second Kratos ran at the first, swinging his sword in a deadly arc. The first reacted instantly, blocking the blow. He jumped back, away from this new fighter, confused and alarmed. He was being attacked by himself? The second did not hesitate to attack again, a swift slash that the first had to sidestep to avoid.

Lloyd and the others watched the fight with wide eyes, as the Kraotses darted around each other and the ruins, attacking with frightening speed and power, almost too fast to track. The only way anyone could tell the Kratoses apart was by the sword they used - Cruxis Kratos had the Flamberge, and Old Kratos had a plain long sword. Cruxis Kratos quickly figured this out. Realizing that if he or the other Kratos slowed down long enough to give Lloyd and the others the chance to attack, this fight would end quickly. He lunged at his older self, an attack easily blocked. Then the younger quickly dropped his sword and tackled his older self, startling the present-day Kratos.

Everyone froze, still as stones, the only sound the too loud clattering of the two swords as they fell to the ground. They all watched at the swords came to rest, sitting on the ground as a great silence fell. The Kratoses quickly backed away from each other, the swords laying between them. There was a stillness that seemed to last a year, neither Kratos moving. They kept their eyes on each other, waiting for the other to make a move, tense as hunters about to surprise their prey.

At the same time they both dove for the swords, both trying to grab the plain sword. Then one punched other, making the second reel in surprise, so the first could grab the plain sword. The other Kratos quickly grabbed the Flamberge as the first sliced at him.

Now no one could follow the fight, no one could tell who was winning and who was losing, in any sense. The present-day Kratos would have to hold back, but then his power equaled that of his past self, though it was impossible for anyone to tell which was which. No one knew if the Kratoses had been able to retrieve their own swords or not.

The first Kratos, wielding the plain sword parried a thrust from the second. They broke off and began circling each other, neither one lowering their guard even a fraction.

Then second ran at the first, the first ducked under a slice from the second, and came up again behind his attacker. Without warning, the first stuck the second on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. The second jerked, dropped the Flamberge, crumpled in a heap on the broken stones, and lay still. The first lowered his sword, eyes fixed on his fallen enemy.

And then it was over.

The Kratos still standing looked back over at Lloyd and the others, who were staring warily a distance away. How could they tell which Kratos this was? He was holding a plain sword, not the Flamberge, but that didn't mean anything. No one had been able to tell if the Kratoses had retrieved their own swords or not.

Lloyd took a slow step forward.

"Stop."

Yuan appeared out of the trees, and held out an arm to stop Lloyd from approaching Kratos. Yuan looked at Kratos. "Prove to me that you're from this time period."

The Kratos still standing paused, choosing his words carefully. Then he spoke rapidly in what sounded like Angelic.

When he was finished, Yuan blushed, and seemed to struggle a moment to hide his surprise, or perhaps it was embarrassment. He coughed, perhaps to distract himself.

"He's the present-day Kratos," Yuan said, hastily reclaiming his normal calm demeanor.

There was an uncomfortable pause. No one doubted who the remaining Kratos was, but there was one pressing question on everyone's mind.

"...Colette?" Genis began, turning to the former Chosen, deciding to ask the question. "You know Angelic, right? What did Kratos say to Yuan?"

"Um... I'm not, really sure," she admitted. "He spoke too fast. I caught a little bit though." She blushed. "...He said something about... um... um..."

Realizing that whatever had been said was better left unsaid, Genis hastily stammered, "I-it's okay! You don't have to say anything if you don't want to!"

Yuan walked over to the fallen Cruxis Kratos. Old Kratos was standing over his past self, looking down at the prone figure. "He's alive," Yuan said, noticing Old Kratos' uncertain expression. "I will take him back to the base," he continued. "It seems we will have to keep him under stricter guard, or sedate him to prevent escape."

Old Kratos said nothing, but continued to stare down at his past self, his own thoughts carefully hidden away. Yuan looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Are you okay?" Kratos nodded wordlessly. Yuan thought it was only an automatic motion, but decided not to question Kratos further. That could wait.

Now that the fight was over, Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and Sheena returned their attention to Young Kratos. The boy had barely moved during the fight between his older selves. They could all hear him panting heavily, weakened by the spell. They could all see how his wings had turned from a shining blue to a dull gray, now limp and lifeless.

"What's wrong with him?" Sheena asked, directing this question at both Yuan and Old Kratos. "What's up with his wings? Why did they turn gray like that?"

"Mana deprivation," explained Yuan. "He tried to cast magic beyond his skill level. Foolish boy..." When he saw the panic on Sheena's and the other's faces, he added, "It isn't severe, nothing that could place his life in danger. He simply needs rest, and perhaps some sense."

This didn't seem to make the children any less worried. Though at the same time, they did not approach Young Kratos. They all seemed to shocked by this revelation to do or say anything just yet.

Lloyd had seen the younger Kratos cast angels feathers, they all had, and that had been surprising enough. Now, however, seeing the other boy, his wings hanging limp, the realities and implications of this revelation began to sink in.

He turned to the present-day Kratos, who glanced at his son out of the corner of his eye. He saw the confusion in Lloyd's face.

"...Dad?" Lloyd began, bewildered. "I don't get it, were you...? Does that mean I'm...?"

Old Kratos looked away, his only response an empty silence.

Lloyd's hands curled into fists; why couldn't his father just look him in the eye and tell him anything without being evasive? Did the man have to keep everything a secret? Was there anything _else_ important he was hiding from Lloyd?

Young Kratos shakily got to his hands and knees, his breathing slightly strained, quickly discovering he had lost the strength to stand. Only then did he realize everyone was looking at him, staring at his stupid, useless, ugly wings.

He swore under his breath. Stupid. Idiot. Dumbass. They all knew now. He had felt useless before, he had wanted to help, but this wasn't what he had in mind. He didn't want them to find out what he was. His fingernails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists.

When Kratos spoke, his voice was laced with bitterness. "So now you all know I'm a freak. Isn't that just wonderful."

Lloyd and his friends were taken aback, while Yuan and Old Kratos did nothing.

"...Freak?" Lloyd began, genuinely confused. "Why would we think that?"

"Don't pretend the thought never crossed your mind!" Kratos shouted at him. "You and your _perfect_ life, your _perfect_ friends, your_ perfect_ world, and your _perfect_ wings! Don't you dare play innocent with me!"

"W-what?" Lloyd was taken aback. "I wasn't lying!"

"You really don't get it, do you?" Kratos snapped. "I'm half-angel! A mutt! A mongrel! A freak! A-and, these things - " he punched the ground in anger and frustration, hating the fact that the wings were a part of him. " - they don't even look like angel wings! These stupid, sparkly, fairy-wings are totally useless! I can't fly! What's the point of having wings, if I can't even..." he trailed off and hung his head, choking on self-loathing.

Old Kratos felt himself glance down at his left hand, at his Exsphere. He knew that without it he would still be flightless.

Lloyd and his friends were stunned. They had never seen Young Kratos behave like this. Though not always a friendly individual, he was usually so... upbeat, in comparison to this. They couldn't understand why this sudden change had taken place.

Lloyd felt he should say something, but wasn't sure what. He opened his mouth, but nothing he thought of felt right. What could he possibly say?

"Kratos..."

"And why do you people care so damn much, anyway?!" Young Kratos shouted, now unable to stop himself. "It's just because I look like him, isn't it?!" He pointed accusingly at his older self, who did not react. "You couldn't care less what happens to me, as long the universe doesn't... explode, or whatever!"

"That's not true!" Colette said, earnestly. "You're our friend!"

"Shut up!" Kratos snarled, making her flinch. "I hate you and your fake innocence! It makes me sick! So just keep your mouth shut!"

Colette looked as if he had physically struck her, blue eyes filling with pained tears.

"Hey, what was that for?" Genis shouted. "She was just trying to help!"

"Yeah, I know you're a jerk, but this is a new low for you!" Sheena snapped.

"So what?" Kratos said. "Why should I care?"

"Kratos, what's gotten into you?" Lloyd asked, alarmed and a little frightened. "We're your friends, I thought you knew that. It doesn't matter who or what you are. You're still you."

"And where the hell did you pull that from?" Kratos demanded. "Real people don't think like that!"

"What? Of course we do! That kind of thing doesn't matter, you're still you, and you're still our friend! We've always been your friends! We even saved you from the Renegades! Don't you remember?"

Kratos couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lloyd just didn't get it, did he? Could he really be that stupid? "And why'd you bother doing that? What could you possibly get by helping me? If I had stayed locked up I would've eventually gotten back home, and then the timeline or whatever would've been fixed, so that can't be your reason. And I don't want to hear any crap about 'you're our friend'! I'll admit I thought that really was the reason at first, but no real person does anything just because 'you're our friend'! Even Yuan thought I was trash at first, and he definitely had plenty of reason to think like that!

"And then there's you people! Nothing bothers you! You know I'm a jerk but you don't push me away. You find out I'm a bastard and you don't push me away. You find out I'm a freak and you pretend nothing changed! Why do you care so much? Why save something as worthless as me? WHY ME?"

The whole forest seemed to fall completely silent. The only sound audible was Young Kratos' panting, all his remaining energy spent. He collapsed again on the ground and curled up a little, his wings spread out behind him. No one else moved or spoke.

Colette was the first to do anything. She walked over to the stricken boy, and knelt down beside him, gently putting a hand on his shoulder. He did not look at her, but neither did he try to shake her off.

"Let's go back home." Her voice was little more than a whisper. "We'll get you better, and then everything will be okay again."

He looked up at her, at a loss for words. It was impossible to read the expression on his face; he wasn't even sure how he felt, and he found himself unable to respond.

_...Home?_

She gently took one of his arms, wrapping it around her shoulders and, using her angel strength, helped him stand. He said nothing, and did not resist. He kept his head down, eyes blank, staring at nothing. It was an expression they all recognized. It was a mask Kratos would wear almost constantly later in life. It was almost disturbing to see Young Kratos look like that, to see a tiny piece of the man he would become.

Yuan and Old Kratos had said and done nothing the whole time. There was nothing for them to say. They both already knew Kratos was half-angel. Though, when Yuan looked at Old Kratos out of the corner of his eye, the other man had neither moved or changed his expression. The children looked from Old Kratos, to Yuan, and back, a multitude of emotions on their faces. Except for Young Kratos, Yuan noticed, who simply kept his head down. Yuan was the first to speak up.

"We need to clean up here," Yuan gestured to the fallen Cruxis Kratos. "Go on back."

Lloyd looked anxiously at his father, who didn't so much as glance at his son. Whether this was because he was ashamed of what had happened, or he simply did not wish to speak of it, Lloyd couldn't tell.

He turned to his friends. "Let's head back to Iselia then."

When the ancient angels were alone, Yuan knelt down by Cruxis Kratos, carefully checking to see just how badly wounded he was. Yuan leaned over to inspect the injury on the unconscious man's head.

"How long since you started to remember?" Yuan asked, without looking up.

Old Kratos knew this question was directed at him. The other seraph closed his eyes. "After Origin's seal was released."

Yuan pondered this. "Interesting..." Then he frowned, and stood up. This time he did look at his old companion, and when he again spoke his voice held a number of emotions, while his face was devoid of any. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Kratos said nothing.

Yuan sighed; sometimes the human could be so frustratingly stubborn. "Have it your way, then." His words sounded like a dismissal.

He returned his attention to his fallen enemy, already deciding how to restrain this individual again, how to prevent yet another escape. Old Kratos, recognizing that he was no longer useful or wanted, left the ruins and walked into the dark forest, but in a different direction from Lloyd and the others.

When he was gone, Yuan once again looked up, staring off in the direction his old companion had gone. Then he looked down at the unconscious figure at his feet, a perfect replica of the man who had just left.

"...What could possibly be going on in your head right now, Kratos?"

* * *

Spork: I love ambiguity.

Kratos: Whyyyyy... why couldn't you have just let it diiiiie...

Spork: I know there still are some explanations due... they'll come eventually. I have a plan!

Anyway, please review. Reviews make me happy.


	18. Easily Forgotten

Young Kratos: Spork, what are you doing?

Holy Spork: (-Whimper-)

Kratos: ...And who the hell is that you're hugging?

Yuugi Mutou: Um... excuse me, can you let me go now?

Spork: No...

Kratos: I think I'll regret asking this... but what is up with you today?

Spork: Well... it started when I heard about an anime called 'Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni'. I heard that it was supposed to have a really good plot, so I thought it would be interesting. I knew it was bloody (though I didn't realize exactly how bloody until later), but what I didn't know before I started watching was that it was horror... But I couldn't stop watching! Even though the characters were horribly killed or tortured over and over again! I made it through all the question arcs, but then... AHHHHHHH! I don't even want to _hear_ the word 'dissection' ever again!

Kratos: ...Huh?

Yuugi: O.O W-w-what?!

Spork: Call me a sissy all you want, but _I do not like horror!_ That show scared the crap out of me, and that's why I'm hugging Yuugi - because he's adorable and makes me happy. So I'm not going to let Yuugi go until I can get the image of that Higurashi episode out of my head. (Or Yami comes out and Mind Crushes me... whichever comes first.)

Yuugi: ...Um...

Kratos: ...At least it's not me she's decided to torture. For once.

Spork: Shuddap. Besides, you're about as cuddly as a rabid porcupine.

Kratos: Oh, I'm so offended. (-Rolls his eyes-)

* * *

Chapter XVIII: Easily Forgotten

It was getting dark out, and Raine couldn't find Genis.

Raine found herself searching the village again, wondering if perhaps her little brother had gone with Lloyd to Dirk's house. But I don't see Sheena or Colette either, she thought, perplexed. Could they have all gone to Dirk's at once?

She began to walk towards the gate by the Iselian Forest - she would go and see if Genis was at Lloyd's home. Then she would give him an earful for making her worry -

Her thoughts were interrupted when she spotted five people coming out of the forest. It was Genis and the others. But Colette was supporting Young Kratos, and they all appeared to be tired. Or wounded.

Raine ran over to them, and her fears were quickly confirmed: they all had scratches and bruises.

"What's wrong?" Raine demanded, looking over each of her students to see how badly they were hurt. "What happened?"

"We're fine, Raine," Genis began, trying to keep his sister from fussing over him. "We're okay."

"What happened?" Raine asked again, alarmed by the state of her students. "Were you attacked by monsters?"

"We'll explain in a minute," Sheena promised. "But first we need to get Kratos someplace where he can rest."

Raine turned to look at the boy in question. His head was hung, and he had not looked up once since he and the others had returned.

"Kratos? Are you okay?" Raine began.

Kratos did nothing.

"We'll explain in a minute," Sheena said. "He's being a bit stubborn right now."

Kratos muttered darkly under his breath, but wasn't loud enough to be audible.

"Do you think you can walk now?" Colette asked him, misunderstanding him.

"Wait wait! I still don't think I can - " Kratos shouted too late. Colette let him go and he quickly lost his balance and fell over with an undignified yelp.

"Thanks for dropping me..." Kratos muttered darkly into the dirt.

"Oh... I'm sorry!" Colette stuttered, kneeling down to help him up again.

Raine sighed; they were going nowhere. "Let's head back to Colette' house. Then you can explained what happened in greater detail."

* * *

"...So Yuan said he was going to take the other Kratos back to the Renegade base and lock him up. So we left, and came back to the village."

Lloyd finished his story, unsure of how Raine would react.

They had all returned to Colette's home, and after finding Young Kratos a place to rest, they had gathered downstairs, and Lloyd began to relate to Raine what had happened in the forest.

The teacher was silent for a moment, digesting this information. It was difficult to believe - it seemed strange that it was possible for someone to be half angel when angels were an artificial race. However, she could sense they were not lying. Raine turned to look at Lloyd. "Lloyd, where is your father now?" She was talking about the older Kratos.

Lloyd shrugged. "I think he went with Yuan."

Raine considered this, but said nothing.

"Now we just wait until Kratos - the younger one - gets better," Sheena suggested.

Raine sighed. "I hope Yuan can find a way to return him to his home soon..."

Upstairs, Young Kratos laying in the bed that had been lent to him. He was awake, his eyes open and staring blankly at the door. He could hear everyone downstairs, thanks to his unnaturally keen hearing. He rolled over so he faced the wall and just stared at the wood grain, his face blank.

He didn't say anything.

* * *

Later, Noishe was laying in his pen at Dirk's house. He had been asleep, dreaming dog dreams, when Lloyd found him. Lloyd walked slowly up to the pen, as if there were a sleeping dragon inside, rather than a napping protozoan. Noishe opened one eye and fixed it on Lloyd, who hesitated.

"Uh... Noishe?"

Noishe looked up at Lloyd with his big dog eyes.

"Uh..." Lloyd paused, "Can you... still talk?"

He yelped as something cold slid up his back.

_"Yes,"_ said the 'voice' of Noishe, with a tone of amusement.

Lloyd shuddered, and looked down warily at Noishe. "...How come you've started talking?"

_"I can only speak to angels," _explained Noishe._ "For very complicated reasons that have to do with mana signatures and mana synchrony. Unfortunately, I do not think you would be able to understand."_

"Uh... what's 'synchrony' mean? Is that like a bunch of musicians?"

_"See?"_

"Hey!"

_"The point is,"_ Noishe started, _"that I can only talk to angels, or descendants of angels."_

"Descendants of angels?" Lloyd blinked. "Does that mean you can talk to Kratos?"

Noishe nodded. _"Yes, both of them."_

"Weird... I didn't know it was possible," Lloyd began. "You know, become and angel like that." He paused. "Then how come I wasn't born an angel?"

_"Kratos wasn't either,"_ Noishe started, _"Technically, he was born perfectly human. Half-angels are complicated creatures – "_

"People," interrupted Lloyd, an unfamiliar coldness in his voice. "Half-angels are people."

Noishe's ears drooped; he looked ashamed. _"...I apologize."_ Then he continued. _"Half-angels are complicated people. They're born perfectly human, their angelic mana dormant, and usually remains physically unexpressed. Though some undergo a sort of awakening during which they briefly suffer from symptoms similar to what you called 'angel toxicosis'. They're typically rare, as, under Mithos, angels were rarely allowed to be in any kind of situation that could possibly be intimate enough to produce one. Kratos' mother was human, and father was likely an escaped experimental subject - "_

"WHAT?" shouted Lloyd. "What do you mean 'escaped experimental subject'?"

Noishe's nose twitched in annoyance._ "The technology that allows a sentient being to become an angel was developed during the Kharlan War," Noishe continued. "I believe the storyteller in Latheon Gorge told you as much. There had to be a process of development. I know it's an unsavory concept, but that's the way it was. Anything else you needed to ask?"_ Noishe added, realizing Lloyd couldn't go without interrupting him.

"How come I wasn't one?" Lloyd asked, voicing the question that had been praying on his mind for hours now. "You know, part angel."

Noishe launched into his complicated explanation. _"It isn't an automatic process, there are conditions. The chance of awakening as an angel can be predicted, if one knows his parent's species. As a half-angel, Kratos had only a one-in-four chance of changing - he clearly was the unfortunate one-in-four. As you are the son of a human and a half-angel, you had only a one-in-sixteen chance - "_ Noishe stopped when he realized his audience was no longer paying attention. He sighed, realizing he would have shrink his explanation so it could fit inside Lloyd's head.

_"You had less angelic blood, so you had less of a chance of changing."_ Noishe tried. _"Does that make sense?"_

"Yeah," said Lloyd, pretty sure he understood Noishe now. This made him remember something else. "Why'd he freak out when he first saw my wings then? The first time I showed them to him he acted like he'd never seen an angel before."

_"Technically, he hadn't,"_ Noishe pointed out. _"He's never seen another... individual like himself before. Does that make sense?"_

Lloyd nodded.

_"Good."_ Noishe's tail wagged once, and there was a thoughtful silence. _"Just give him a day or two. The boy-Kratos, I mean. He's a bit... sensitive about this topic. He's been treated rather poorly by those who've known his secret before now. Be good to him and he'll open up again, and return to his normal self."_ Noishe paused before adding, which a little more glee than was necessary. _"Or if he doesn't stop sulking, feel free to give him a good kick. Understood?"_

"Um... yeah," Lloyd hazarded, unsure if this was the 'right' answer.

_"Good,"_ said Noishe again. His tail wagged vigorously this time as he stretched out his neck so his head was in arm's reach._ "Now scratch the spot between my ears. It itches and I can't quite reach it."_

"Um..." Lloyd wasn't sure how he felt about a 'dog' ordering him.

_"I can always tell your father about your exact grades in Raine's classes,"_ said Noishe smugly. _"I don't think Kratos knows, yet, but I doubt he would be pleased to find out about your long string of F's."_

Though he would always be loyal to Kratos and his descendants, a little blackmail now and then to get a scratch or a belly rub didn't hurt.

* * *

Old Kratos watched the waves roll up the sand, pause for a moment, then fall back into the ocean.

He wasn't sure why he had come here. He had certainly never been to this place before. It was just a stretch of shoreline around the peninsula on which the town of Iselia sat; there was nothing terribly remarkable about it. But it felt... right, and that made no sense. Kratos was a logical creature, and he had trouble grappling with the concept that he had come to this place for no particular reason. He had been standing here, doing nothing more than staring at the water for hours, alone with his thoughts.

He was beginning to remember things he was sure had never happened to him.

The memory had suddenly leaped out at him when he had been with Yuan flying back to the Renegade base. He had been laying on the ground, held at sword point by... himself. At the same time he could recall attacking and pinning a boy who had looked suspiciously like himself. He remembered the same event from two different perspectives.

All these memories... Though they were technically his, it didn't feel like they belonged to him. It felt as if he were remembering something from someone else's life, someone entirely separate from himself.

Why was this bothering him so?

The waves slapped the shore.

Kratos hung his head.

"I shouldn't have returned..."

* * *

Yuan slumped down in the chair at his desk, exhausted. Should he ever achieve a state that at all resembled retirement, he would do nothing but drink tea and play golf no matter what kind of horrific trouble the world was in. Someone else could go and clean up the mess for once.

He spotted a trinket he did not own sitting on his desk. Curious he leaned forward and gently picked it up, and he quickly recognized the object.

It was a bird figurine.

At least he assumed that's what it was. It had bird like features, such as the wings, but he wasn't entirely sure, it was so weathered and aged. The figurine belonged to Kratos, Yuan remembered, now that he thought about it. He remembered when Kratos had first returned, this thing had been in his hand, and he had apparently been only vaguely aware he had even still been holding onto it. Then the ancient angel had set the figurine on Yuan's desk and apparently forgotten about it entirely. It couldn't have been that important if it had been so easily forgotten.

"Lord Yuan."

The angel looked over his shoulder and saw a pair of Renegades walk into his office. They saluted.

Yuan nodded to the soldiers, and glanced down at the figurine in his hand. Yuan placed it back on his desk, stood up, and walked away; the figurine wasn't important.

Then he forgot about it as well

* * *

Spork: I have to quickly apologize for the lack of progression story-wise in this chapter. I really need to work on pacing...

On a different topic... Yay for symbolism!

Kratos: ...Symbolism?

Spork: Yes, this story has symbolism. And themes. And good stuff like that which amuses only me.

Yuugi: Well, if you like it then that's okay.

Kratos: Don't encourage her, shrimp.

Yuugi: Hey, I'm not - !

Kratos: ...Wait a minute, Spork isn't hugging you anymore.

Yuugi: Yeah, she stopped a while ago.

Spork: I feel better now! Writing this chapter helped too, as did getting to whine. So you're free to go now, Yuugi.

Yuugi: Okay! (-He leaves-)

Kratos: Hey! How come he can leave but I can't?!

Spork: Because Yuugi is from neither Tales of Symphonia nor this fiction. You, however, are stuck here. Yay!

Kratos: ...Dammit. Now I really will have to kill you in your sleep...

Spork: Y-you're going to what? You're going to bash my skull in with a hammer or aluminum baseball bat?

Kratos: Don't get excited, I was only kidding -

Spork: O.O OH SNAP KRATOS HAS BEEN CURSED BY OYASHIRO-SAMA! YUUGI! WAIT FOR MEEEE! AHHHHH! (-Runs away-)

Kratos: ...


End file.
